While many would consider this an overly ambitious goal, if not nearly impossible, Peter and Jean-Manuel believed they could achieve it. After all, they are extremely seasoned in the industry.

Jean-Manuel's career began in Paris, where he worked at Marithe & Francois Girbaud. At 29 years-old, he became the men's marketing manager for the prestigious house of Lanvin. A few years later, he was sent to the United States to reintroduce the brand.

It was in the States where Jean-Manuel and Peter met. Peter got his start in the industry working as a fashion stylist. He spent 13 years as a hairstylist in Pasadena, CA and took fashion styling gigs whenever he could. With his keen sense of fashion, Peter was hired to style a Lanvin trade show. Jean-Manuel eventually hired Peter as an account executive and promptly promoted him to sales and merchandising manager and press attaché for the US. Peter and Jean-Manuel became a well-known duo in the industry. They worked together to open Alessandro Dell'Acqua USA and Matthew Williamson USA, but it was only a matter of time before they opened their own store.