A Legendary Legacy
Maurice Renoma learned to sew and created his first menswear. In 1957, he began working in a space reserved by his father in a corner of the family shop. In 1963, Renoma was founded. Simon Renoma entrusted his sons, Michel and Maurice, with a space adjoining his workshop at 22 rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth. They created their first suits in alpaca, mohair, flannel, and gabardine, followed two years later by the iconic Renoma blazer.
White House at 129 Rue de la Pompe
The White House opened its doors on October 23, 1963. The boutique quickly became revolutionary for Parisian youth and was renowned for its radical break with traditional menswear codes. Renoma is credited with introducing "unfashion" or "anti-fashion" to Paris, transforming the male silhouette through tailored cuts, bold prints, and fashion influences reflecting the energy of Swinging London. The brand emerged not as a fashion label in the traditional sense, but as a movement for a generation of avant-garde Parisian artists, musicians, actors, and intellectuals, including politicians who frequented the boutique: Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Keith Richards, Jacques Dutronc, Brigitte Bardot, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
Renoma's First Fashion Show
The first linen collection was launched in 1970 with the presentation of the very androgynous line for women: the creation of the pantsuit.
Renoma Launches in Japan
Renoma made a striking entrance into the Japanese market in 1975 with bold advertising campaigns featuring Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, photographed by icons such as Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. That same year, Maurice Renoma joined Gainsbourg and Birkin on the jury of the Tokyo Music Festival, marking the beginning of a deep cultural connection. Renoma's avant-garde Parisian style immediately resonated with Japanese audiences, leading to massive popularity and numerous licensed products that solidified the brand's legacy in Japan.
Exhibitions
From the 1980s onwards, Maurice Renoma began to exhibit his photographs internationally, developing a dual identity as a creator and visual artist.
The brand then shifted its focus heavily towards artistic collaborations and exhibitions. Key moments include the Sex, Fashion & Revolt series (2000s), a punk exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo, as well as multidisciplinary projects presented in institutions such as the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, the Centre Pompidou and Art Basel Miami in 2013.
In the 2010s, Renoma collaborated with musicians, writers, and dancers on immersive performances and installations. Its Parisian flagship store was regularly transformed into a gallery, where experimental pieces were displayed alongside clothing, art books, and photographs. Although rarely present at traditional fashion weeks, Renoma cultivated an underground cult following, attracting independent stylists, archivists, visual artists, and filmmakers.
Maurice Renoma's stylistic approach is deeply photographic and performative, influenced by his ongoing work as an image-maker. The brand's archives reveal a rich interplay between fashion, art, and sociology. Maurice has presented exhibitions worldwide, including in Tokyo, Beverly Hills, New York, Venice, Florence, Milan, Cuba, and Art Basel Miami, exploring subcultures and body identity through photography and installation.
The Multi-Pocket Jacket
The creation of the multi-pocket jacket revolutionized the fashion world. Its success was immediate and international. More than 150,000 jackets were sold in the Renoma store.
Back to Basics
Maurice Renoma looks back on 23 years of artistic creation with "Retour aux Sources", an exceptional exhibition in Paris taking the form of a traveling route linking five art galleries, the town hall of the 3rd arrondissement and the Square du Temple.
Opening of the Renoma pop-up store at the ArtPhotoBy Sophie Leiser gallery in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.
Maurice Renoma took over the National Hotel Miami Beach during Art Basel Miami, followed by the Hôtel de Paris in Saint-Tropez.
