1933-2026
BRAND HISTORY
2006
MAISON CLOSE IS BORN
In Marseille, Nicolas Busnel (aka Monsieur le Français) creates Maison Close almost by accident, with no business plan, no investors, nothing certain. Twenty years later, he remains the sole designer for the Maison. Maison Close starts out with nothing more than a sketch, intuition and the desire to offer an alternative vision of French lingerie. From the very beginning, the brand delivers a more audacious, more personal approach, focused on storytelling and directly linked to imagery.
At the start, Maison Close was to be a boutique accessories brand alongside a few items of lingerie. However, the images, collections and stories told around the product quickly find an audience and lay the foundations for a distinct market positioning.
2007
LEGWEAR
Maison Close designs its first signature LEGWEAR: cut and curled stockings, created by Monsieur le Français to almost reach the curve of the buttocks, visually lengthening the legs and smoothing the body’s contours under a taut garter belt; authentic couture nylon stockings, in unique finishes and colors; and finally, layering and fabric calendering, which creates shimmering, rippling and a new transparent look.
2009
THE CATSUIT IS BORN
Maison Close designs its first larger items: dresses, bodies, combinations and then the catsuit. What starts in response to minimum material order quantities grows into a product line in its own right, closer to clothing than traditional lingerie.
Monsieur le Français names this item the catsuit, inspired by Catwoman, big-screen superheroes, cartoons, circus, dance, uniforms and the idea that this second skin conveys a greater allure, close to a superpower. This name, first used in this context by Maison Close, is now used around the world to describe this type of garment.
THE TRIANGLE BRA
August 2009
Monsieur le Français is seen as a pioneer, reviving the triangle bra at a time when fashion abandons the natural figure in favor of the push-up bra. The Maison Close approach is more sensual and elegant, designed to enhance smaller busts and reveal lingerie, not hide it away.
2011
LA GAZETTE
Maison Close publishes its first Gazette, with a truly French feel, designed to be a more intimate way to communicate with its loyal customers, slipped into their parcels well before social media gradually starts to replace paper.
2014
FIRST INTERNATIONAL ENDORSEMENT
Maison Close is voted Boudoir Brand of the Year at the UK Lingerie Awards, international recognition that validates its positioning as a specialist French brand in the premium seductive lingerie market.
KATE MOSS IN LUI MAGAZINE
Kate Moss wears Maison Close in the pages of LUI Magazine, photographed by Steven Meisel, bringing the brand strong visibility in an iconic fashion and photography medium.
2015
FLAGSHIP STORE OPENS IN NEW YORK
Maison Close opens its first New York boutique, in SoHo, in the former location of Café Noir, to increase visibility, create a direct contact with customers and offer a physical experience of the brand.
LA JOURNÉE DE LA MUSE
April 2015
Maison Close creates ‘Day of the Muse,’ celebrated every April 22 to mark the anniversary of the boutique’s opening day and to recognize the customers, who inspire and wear the brand, bringing it to life.
2016
HELLO BUNNY
Inspired by the photographic fantasy world created by Helmut Newton, the bunny mask joins the Maison Close range as a role play, staging and photographic prop. The brand designs a shape that is unique to Maison Close and becomes an instantly recognizable signature product.
ACROSS BORDERS
Maison Close launches its e-commerce website, creating an opportunity to increase direct distribution and extend its international presence, particularly in France, the United States and Germany, as well as in other key markets.
2017
INTERNATIONAL RENOWN: THE BRAND TAKES FLIGHT
Madonna wears Maison Close in a photographic series for Harper’s Bazaar, by Steven Meisel, and then wears the brand a number of times, greatly strengthening its international standing and its worldwide editorial visibility.
Photographed by the biggest names in photography and worn by icons including Rihanna, Cameron Diaz, Gisele Bündchen, Britney Spears in one of her music videos, Cara Delevingne photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, Anja Rubik and Bella Hadid, the brand’s ultra photogenic garments launch Maison Close into a new dimension in terms of image and renown.
2018 — 2020
NEW SIGNATURE PRODUCTS
Between 2018 and 2020, Monsieur le Français’ collections become more unique with a stronger story: Pure Tentation adds a sensory, second-skin lingerie; Chambre Noire introduces feti-chic; Inspiration Divine consecrates the Maison style with golden crosses that enhance the garter straps; Corps à Corps brings in neon and interchangeable straps; while Blue Angel, in an iridescent metallic blue fabric, is inspired by the morpho butterfly.
Each collection is multilayered: opaque/transparent, layering, mix and match, masculine/feminine and full immersion in imagery, film, illustration and music.
2020
NEW CREATIVE IMPETUS
Lize.K joins the artistic team, opening a creative dialog with Monsieur le Français and developing the brand image for the long term: stories showcase the collections, with a more cinematic approach, a specific writing style, a love of the French language, always with an editorial feel and supported by collaborations with the best photographers.
This new partnership creates a unique way to present Maison Close lingerie, somewhere between a product, a story, an image and an emotion.
2021
MILEY CYRUS
Blue Angel, a striking Maison Close collection, is crafted from an iridescent metallic blue material inspired by the morpho butterfly and designed to create a graphic look.
Worn by Miley Cyrus on her album cover, on tour and at the Super Bowl, the collection reinforces how Maison Close takes lingerie to a new level, to become an icon of stage, music and international pop culture.
2023
NEW CREATIVE HEADQUARTERS IN MARSEILLE
Maison Close opens its new offices in Marseille, located in the former Noilly Prat vermouth distillery, a location with a rich history that becomes the new creative headquarters, supporting brand development, image and architecture.
LE VESTIAIRE
Le Vestiaire introduces prêt-à-porter to the Maison Close range, with timeless garments designed to complete the lingerie look, where underwear becomes outerwear, with open-back styling, cut-outs, flowing materials and signature brand details.
2024
THE CRAZY CATWALK SHOW
The Crazy Catwalk Show celebrates 18 years of Maison Close, bringing together 12 iconic collections in one spectacular show that combines lingerie, prêt-à-porter, accessories and dramatic staging, confirming the brand’s positioning in the first digital fashion show for lingerie.
24 SECRET DAYS
24 Secret Days is the first Maison Close digital advent calendar. Unique limited-edition designs are unveiled for 24 days in December: a commercial, community and experiential brand action.
2025
LE BAIN
Maison Close expands its range with Le Bain. This move into swimwear and resortwear extends the brand’s sensual reach beyond lingerie, to dress the body in new contexts: sun, beach, pool, travel and summer.
ACQUISITION OF SCANDALE
Monsieur le Français purchases SCANDALE, the iconic French maison founded in 1932, driven by a desire to protect the heritage of this lingerie brand and also to write the next chapter in the evolving Maison Close story.
CABINET OF DESIRABLE CURIOSITIES
Designed as a Maison collection and presented as a cabinet of curiosities, the Curiosités Désirables is a selection of objects, accessories and collector’s items that relate to the iconic Maison Close collections, completing the brand portfolio.
2026
SCANDALE HERITAGE
Feb. 2026
Maison Close launches ROCOCO, the first collection inspired by SCANDALE, a contemporary interpretation of traditional corset styling, combining structure, history, transparent fabric and product expertise.
AN AUDACIOUS 20 YEARS AND BECOMING SCANDALE
Sept. 2026
Maison Close celebrates its 20-year anniversary at the Le Trianon theater, Paris, with an invitation-only show that retells the story of its collections, its image and its signature visual styles.
MAISON CLOSE BECOMES SCANDALE
Juil. 2026
After 20 years in business, Maison Close officially changes its name to SCANDALE to adopt a more international name with a broader heritage, while preserving the brand’s product, creative and commercial DNA.
FIRST SCANDALE BOUTIQUE
SCANDALE opens its first boutique at 5 rue Cambon, Paris, designed as an experiential retail environment and part of an omnichannel approach: the physical element of this new step for the brand.
