Some fashion houses reinvent themselves through a new collection. Others do it through a new creative director. For Maison Close, the next chapter begins with a new name.
From 22 July, the French label becomes SCANDALE, reviving one of the most iconic names in French lingerie while carrying forward the contemporary identity that has defined Maison Close for the past two decades.
Far from being a conventional rebrand, the transition brings together two stories shaped by different eras but connected through a shared vision of femininity, craftsmanship and image. It is less about leaving one identity behind than allowing it to evolve.
Since launching in 2006, Maison Close has built a reputation for approaching lingerie as fashion rather than function. Its collections blur the boundaries between underwear, ready-to-wear and occasion dressing, combining sculptural silhouettes, graphic lines and sheer fabrics with a distinctly Parisian attitude. Sensuality has never been treated as spectacle, but as a language of design—suggestive, elegant and unapologetically confident.
Creative philosophy remains at the heart of the brand’s future
The name may be changing, but the aesthetic direction continues uninterrupted.
Instead, Maison Close is choosing to anchor its future in the legacy of SCANDALE, a house founded in 1932 whose influence stretches far beyond lingerie. From pioneering technical innovations that liberated women’s silhouettes to becoming instantly recognisable through René Gruau’s celebrated illustrations, SCANDALE established itself as one of the defining visual identities of twentieth-century French fashion.
For Nicolas Busnel, founder and creative director of Maison Close, the acquisition of SCANDALE represented an opportunity to unite two complementary creative legacies. One embodies almost a century of French heritage; the other reflects twenty years of contemporary expression shaped through editorial imagery, fashion collaborations and a recognisable visual language.
Much more than lingerie
Over the years, Maison Close has appeared in the wardrobes of artists including Madonna and Kate Moss, featured on Miley Cyrus’ album artwork and attracted the attention of stylists drawn to its cinematic aesthetic. Its pieces have consistently found a place in fashion editorials, where they function as styling statements as much as intimate apparel.
The move to SCANDALE arrives as the label continues its international expansion, with the United States now representing its largest market, followed by Europe. Yet despite its growing global reach, the house remains rooted in a distinctly French perspective—one where elegance is defined through restraint, mystery and precision rather than excess.
Customers will experience the transition gradually. Final Maison Close collections will remain available as collector editions before SCANDALE becomes the sole identity across future collections, preserving twenty years of creative history while introducing the next phase of the brand’s evolution.
The first physical expression of that future will arrive in September with the opening of SCANDALE’s flagship on Paris’ Rue Cambon, one of fashion’s most symbolic addresses. More than a new boutique, it represents the beginning of a renewed vision—one where heritage and modernity meet under a name that has always carried a sense of provocation, confidence and timeless French allure.
In an industry increasingly driven by reinvention, Maison Close’s transformation into SCANDALE feels less like a departure than a return: a house looking forward by embracing one of the richest chapters in its own history.
