When Millaux co-founder Laura Tanzer told her therapist she was thinking about making bedding, the response took her by surprise. “She was like, ‘Oh, that makes a lot of sense because the bed is like the womb.’” Tanzer hadn’t thought about it that way before, but the parallel struck a chord.
The designer had previously worked at Vetements before studying at Central Saint Martins, followed by three years working side-by-side with Demna once again, but this time at Balenciaga, which entailed the build and rollout of couture. Tanzer’s co-founder Jessica Simpson (whom she is also married to) is a former professional tennis player who traveled 35 weeks out of the year, living in various hotels along the way. After a bad injury, Simpson pivoted to a handful of different industries, from working in art galleries to building hospitality brands and venues. The two met in the UK and eventually, the spark for creating a lifestyle brand was ignited.
Photo: Flavio Karrer
“Laura and I had a long distance phase in our relationship and it just became part of our romantic conversation talking about hotels and bed linens, like, ‘What’s the room like?’ or ‘What makes it cozy?’ kind of thing,” says Simpson. When the two moved in together and were curating their bedroom, they wanted more from what was on offer. “We both love the challenge of world-building,” says Simpson. “So I think this is where the idea of creating a brand that draws on different kinds of heritage came from; not just to be built on old-school prestige or modern minimalism, but to be maximalist and eclectic but also fun and peaceful—all of these things.”
The name Millaux is plucked from a memory from Tanzer’s childhood. “There is a town in the south of France called Millau that has the longest bridge in Europe, and when I was younger we would go to visit.” Close to the bridge, her grandparents had a family home that made a lasting impression. “My recollection of it is as this grand estate where I remember finding scorpions in the garden and being like, ‘Oh my god, look at all of these creatures,’” says Tanzer. This sentimental—and almost mystical—lens is an undercurrent for the entire collection.