Inside Dôen’s Dreamy Trip to France, From a Renovated Castle to Vintage Shopping in Paris

Known for their romantic blouses and “motherhood friendly” dresses, Dôen has become one of fashion’s favorite brands to follow since their launch in 2016. In just three short years, sisters Katherine and Margaret Kleveland have expanded their categories into accessories and childrenswear, launched globally on Net-a-Porter, and opened their first brick-and-mortar store in L.A. “From the beginning, we’ve used social media as a tool to connect with our community and it has been vital to our success,” says Margaret. From sharing images of their real-life muses to taking fans behind-the-scenes on their photoshoots, Dôen creates an unfiltered world that we want to be a part of, rather than one picture perfect image. It helps that, each season since the launch, the sisters plan a trip around the collection to shoot at various destinations, from Charleston to Byron Bay.

For their latest fall collection, the Dôen team headed to a small village called Chateau-Verdun in the South of France. It was Katherine who found Château de Gudanes on Instagram and the sisters knew immediately that they had to shoot there. While most collections are first inspired by the women around them, the designers kept Château de Gudanes in mind during the design process, letting its romantic interiors seep into the core of the collection.

“Our meals together and the in between shoot moments were the most magical,” says Katherine. While it was a work trip, and “mainly all work,” the team enjoyed mid-day afternoon pool dips as well as historic tours during their breaks. After a long day of shooting, the Dôen team and their families enjoyed farm to table dinners at a candlelit table. As they always do, Katherine and Margaret brought their children to be part of the experience, as they “add a lightness and happiness to the shoots.” Alex Noiret, who was Dôen’s first model and forever muse, brought along her husband Scott as well as her brother and grandparents who are from France. “Since we launched, the brand has always been about family. The shoots are really an extension of this,” Katherine notes.

The team then headed to Paris for a few days of fun and vintage shopping. From wandering the romantic streets of Saint Germain to lunch at Petit Trois, the Dôen girls hit their favorite spots. On their last day, the team did some serious vintage shopping at their favorite spot, Chez Sarah, to find references for their next collection.

Below, an inside look at Dôen’s magical trip around France.