Turning Life into Art with Rouje Founder, Jeanne Damas
On taking a passion and turning it into a multi-million-dollar career.
If you understand the mission of C’est Cool, you’ll understand that I think about careers a lot. I think about my career, the careers of those around me, careers I’m inspired by, and the careers of the people I love. While for many, a job is simply a means to support the financial necessities of life, I believe a career is a portal to freedom—both financially and creatively.
While not all-encompassing of the C’est Cool mission, a large part is inspiring and supporting financial and creative freedom. To follow that mission, it’s important to me that these weekly profiles showcase a path you hadn’t considered or a connection you hadn’t yet seen. With every week, these founders and creatives become part of our community and help shape the culture of what C’est Cool is becoming.
This week is, of course, no different.
My French girls may be disappointed when I admit I only recently discovered Jeanne Damas. Despite her long-standing career of influence (with 1.5M followers on Instagram alone) sprouted in Paris in her teenage years, I knew of Jeanne’s brand, Rouje, but not her own story.
Before C’est Cool, I was drawn to brands and shops by their ability to expand my own sense of self; since CC’s birth, I’ve become more drawn to the founders responsible. So I started my research on the effortlessly chic Rouje brand.
The Beginning of Jeanne
Born in Paris in 1992, Jeanne Damas was the child of restaurateurs, running a classic brasserie in the 12th arrondissement just below her family’s upstairs apartment. She spent her childhood soaking up the Parisian lifestyle unfolding at the café. The patrons’ fashion taste, in particular, stood out to her, and between that and her mother picking her up from school in a wrap dress and heels, Jeanne had an early understanding of Parisienne chic.
From a young age, her exposure to designers was very real. Jean-Paul Gaultier was one of the bistro’s frequent customers and offered her a high-school internship at his Paris atelier. She also spent hours in the atelier of her neighbor, designer Nathalie Dumeix, who became a mentor and friend despite being 30 years her senior.
Instead of continuing straight down the fashion path post-high school, she followed her passion for acting, training in the theater for three years. While her friends were off at university, she found herself exploring Paris, taking photos, and developing her own understanding of where she fit in her city’s culture. She took her life and created art.
A Creative Evolution
In the late 2000s, Jeanne began posting candid photos and outfit snapshots on Tumblr. (I looked up if Emily in Paris was inspired by Jeanne; it wasn’t—it was inspired by an American marketing executive who went to work in Paris. Much more literal than I’d assumed.) By the time Instagram launched, she had already established herself within the Paris fashion scene and started building an audience of American girls seduced by her je ne sais quoi.
With this newfound audience came connections to up-and-coming designers, including Simon Porte Jacquemus (who was also Tumblr-blogging his designs), and brand collaborations with Comptoir des Cotonniers and La Redoute. She even became a brand ambassador for Gucci in 2015. But she saw a larger opportunity: extend her personal brand into a label of her own.
With an audience obsessed with her personal wardrobe—and without formal training in business or design—Jeanne launched Rouje at 24, creating pieces she and her friends dreamed of wearing. The brand entered the world as an online-only, direct-to-consumer label, with her social audience as its core customer.
When Opportunity Strikes
I think often about the massive influx of full-time influencers. While it’s amazing to see people create independent businesses for themselves—some generating more income than they could dream of—I also contemplate the longevity of that path. What happens when their lifestyle evolves, partnerships shift, or content ideas begin to run dry? I believe turning an audience into a true customer base is brilliant; not everyone, however, is meant to develop a product.
Jeanne Damas is not everyone. Her debut collection was 25 pieces—a dress, jeans, shoes—her closet staples. They encapsulated both her personal taste and the Parisian style her fans were drawn to. Self-funded, the brand was profitable almost immediately, tripling year over year with little advertising spend.
The Rouje Aesthetic and Philosophy
Rouje is a blend of vintage romance, understated sexiness, and everyday Parisienne practicality. It’s quite literally the dream wardrobe. The styles often reflect a hint of the 1970s—an ode to Jeanne’s love of Jane Birkin and old French cinema. The company’s slogan, “On voit la femme avant le vêtement,” translates to “you notice the woman before what she’s wearing.” (An idea that feels close to our beloved Phoebe Philo’s belief: the woman wears the clothes, not the other way around.)
As a further celebration of women—and like a real-life 13 Going on 30 marketing campaign—Jeanne often casts friends, family, and muses in the brand’s campaigns rather than only models. As a result, the brand feels deeply personal and breeds a sense of community—even with a valuation over €70 million.
A Female Founder in a Soulful Business
Despite international growth—including a New York City boutique, a London shop, and pop-ups across Asia—the human feel and spirit of Rouje remain. With a continued focus on DTC, the storefronts act as experiential extensions of the brand. Instead of flooding the wholesale market, Rouje partners only with a few prestigious French retailers. At every stage, Jeanne has been strategic, methodical, and hands-on—and it continues to pay off.
Today, Jeanne is the mother of two, a CEO, an actress, and—extending her family legacy—a restaurant owner (Chez Jeanne sits next to the Rouje storefront in Paris). She has built a brand with a solid foundation and a career many dream of. From the early days to today, the authenticity is evident. Jeanne Damas built what she loved and shared it with her world. She crafted a business around her life, instead of a life around her business.
If you find yourself craving a bit of Parisienne chic, look no further than Rouje. And if you find yourself itching to dive deeper into something you love, look no further than Jeanne Damas.
Speak soon <3
Kelly