Jeanne Damas, founder of the fashion and beauty brand Rouje, is marking a decade since its 2016 launch with new initiatives in beauty, hospitality, and digital engagement. The brand, known for its French girl aesthetic, reports eight-figure revenues and aims to grow its international presence and beauty category. Damas emphasizes authenticity and customer connection amid evolving style trends.
Jeanne Damas launched Rouje in 2016, offering items like silky blouses, cardigans, midi skirts, jeans, and a signature red lip to capture an effortlessly chic look. Synonymous with French girl style, Damas notes, “Since I was young, the press has called me the ultimate Parisian or French girl. It’s been good for my business, but it’s never been a marketing plan.”
With revenues in the eight figures, Rouje derives 55% of sales from France and 45% from elsewhere. The brand, which employs 100 people and remains founder-funded without outside investors, focuses on controlled growth. Damas explains this approach allows control over “our pace of growth, product development, and brand image.” Beauty currently makes up 10% to 15% of the business, with plans to reach 20% in three years through launches like a blush in April, plus accessories and haircare. The beauty line, Les Filles en Rouje, includes lipsticks, eye products, and skincare. Damas states, “Blush and lipstick launches complement the wardrobe and strengthen our customers’ daily rituals. Beauty increases purchase frequency, average order value, and customer loyalty.” The blush is expected to contribute up to 3% of beauty revenue in its first year and 10% thereafter.
Rouje is also reopening in hospitality with Café Rouje in May, located inside the brand’s boutique on Rue Bachaumont. This follows the 2019 opening of Chez Jeanne, which closed during the pandemic. Damas, a digital native, says, “It’s really important for me... to have my store or café come to life, because I can connect with the community.”
To deepen customer ties, a Rouje mobile app is in development. Damas highlights that mobile traffic already dominates, and the app will enable “a more direct and personalized relationship with our customers” via better navigation, CRM, and notifications. She adds that apps foster higher engagement and loyalty compared to social platforms, which are “rented environments.”
At 34, Damas has adapted products to her life stage, including the Big Bag satchel post-baby and skincare for maturing skin. First-time buyers accounted for 10% of 2025 revenue, with 5% from Gen Z. Despite market saturation, Damas remains committed, viewing French girl beauty as rooted in “confidence, authenticity, and personality,” embracing natural features without surgery. She rejected softening the brand’s aesthetic during the quiet luxury trend, calling the suggestion “bullshit,” and maintains packaging inspired by her grandmother’s vintage wrapping paper. The biggest challenge, she says, is “staying authentic to my style and French roots, even if the brand now has 100 employees.”
