Meet Noël Teillard d’Eyry from La Maison Simons’ Paris Buying Office
A true curator for one of Canada’s leading department store chains, Noël Teillard d’Eyry never misses an edition of Premiere Classe.
La Maison Simons is a shining example of a successful department store retailer. With 19 stores across Canada and a history spanning five generations, the name has become a true retail institution. Combining private labels, renowned brands, and emerging designers, its offering is managed by experienced buyers in Canada who rely on buying offices in South Korea, Italy, and, of course, Paris. Noël Teillard d’Eyry, from the Paris buying office, shares their experience.
How do you explain La Maison Simons’ success?
It essentially comes down to three key factors. First, we are a family-owned business driven by a long-term vision, which gives us the freedom to experiment alongside an exceptional team of buyers. Second, we are highly regarded for our in-house private labels, all designed internally. Finally, our buying offices in Paris, Italy, and South Korea enable us to source an outstanding selection of international brands.
Are these the type of brands you come to Premiere Classe to discover?
Absolutely. I always meet new suppliers here that I wasn’t familiar with before; it’s one of the best trade shows for that. It’s incredibly inspiring to see European, Asian, African, and Latin American brands all in one place. Sometimes we find exactly what we’re looking for, and other times we discover something unexpected that catches our attention.
Premiere Classe allows us to build relationships, not only with our suppliers but also with the new generation of designers. It’s a pleasure to watch them grow, and we often introduce them into our stores a few seasons later.
How do you approach buying for a retailer of this scale?
By fully embracing our role as curators. We have nearly 80 buyers working closely with each of our buying offices. While each buyer focuses on a specific category, our role also involves gathering information for other departments and buyers, as well as collaborating with the trade show teams ahead of the event. We identify new brands, schedule appointments, manage orders, and much more.
La Maison Simons serves different regions with distinct customer purchasing habits. Toronto and Montreal tend to be more luxury-oriented markets than Vancouver or Calgary. Premiere Classe helps us meet the specific expectations of each of these markets.
Which brands caught your attention this season?
We saw so many wonderful things! The Spanish footwear brand Augusta The Brand, Ezcaray’s scarves and throws, and the bags from Belgian brand Dragon all stood out to me, as did the jewelry labels Nach and Dorothée Sausset. We also visited Matter and Shape, which provided a great deal of inspiration for our lifestyle and beauty offering, particularly through brands such as Editions La Romaine, Completedworks for tableware and jewelry, and the fragrance house Matière Première. Being able to visit both trade shows at the same time allows us to think about our assortment in a more complementary and holistic way.
