Mossi Traoré, an emerging Parisian designer, who launched his namesake label in 2017, had a slightly unconventional start to his career in fashion.

Born to Malian parents on the outskirts of Paris, Traoré first discovered his love of clothing after shoplifting from the city’s department stores, inspiring him to devote his studies to fashion at Paris’s Mod’Art International and launch his own high fashion school, Les Ateliers Alix, in 2015. The school, which offers sewing training to unqualified migrants and women in underprivileged Parisian suburbs to help them find jobs, serves as the brand’s workshop and formally trains around 30 young students in Haute Couture a year. Earlier this year, the brand, which has also become known for its sustainable approach and use of artisanal techniques, won the ANDAM Pierre Bergé Prize, a €100k award helping young French brands 'grow an international audience’. Traoré also presented a collection as part of the official Paris Fashion Week schedule for the first time in September 2020.