Rumor

Rumor is a ready-to-wear brand that doesn’t claim to reinvent fashion. And that’s precisely what makes it interesting. No revolutionary discourse, no fiery manifesto about the future of textiles. Just the conviction that you can do classic with personality.

Elegant, easy-to-wear pieces, without ever being ordinary. The kind of clothes you feel good in without needing to shout it from the rooftops. (Hence the name, perhaps.)

One small detail: Rumor started from absolutely nothing. No collection. No assets. No visual foundation. It was Nora, a trusted stylist, who had the instinct: invite the brand to define its own universe before sketching a single garment.

Our first instinct was to listen to Alexandre Ruelle, the brand’s founder. He’s completely invested in his project and endlessly enthusiastic about it. His passion is contagious and, in the meantime, we simply hung on every word.

The first workshop was exactly that: the founder speaks, we listen. His vision. His journey. How he sees the brand positioning itself against the major shifts shaping the industry (sustainability, inclusion, digitalisation… you know the drill). A genuine conversation aimed at understanding who was really sitting across the table.

The second workshop brought Cyrielle, our Brand Strategist, into the process. We dug deeper and we challenged assumptions. We explored a series of projection exercises (occasionally a little unconventional😅) to uncover what the brand truly wanted to convey. You know that moment when everyone is searching for THE word? Then one rises above the rest: Comfort.

The comfort of wearing a piece you genuinely love. The one you feel at ease in. The one that doesn’t shout, but whispers. We had found our common thread.

From that single keyword, we developed two entirely different creative directions. Two visual interpretations of the same idea.

On one side: the comfort of childhood memories. Retro, nostalgic, a fashion equivalent of a madeleine moment. On the other: the comfort of cocooning rituals. A blanket draped over your knees, a cup of steaming tea, morning light filtering through the window. Two atmospheres. Two worlds. But a single promise.

One direction was eventually chosen. (We won’t tell you which one, you’ll figure it out soon enough). From there, Wen Zhu, our designer, took over to build the entire system: visual identity, brand guidelines, photographic art direction. Every element designed to work together from start to finish.

We could have gone in every direction. Bold colours, statement patterns, an identity that grabs attention instantly but grows tired after three collections. Instead, we did the opposite.

Rumor’s identity is neutral and timeless. But neutral doesn’t mean static. It’s a strategic choice that leaves room for understated collections just as much as more eccentric creations. That’s the true luxury of a strong foundation.

Materials, meanwhile, play a central role. Not as decoration. But as a way of communicating richness and comfort directly through imagery. You should be able to sense the quality of the fabric and the softness of the material without ever touching the screen. (We’re not quite there technologically speaking, but we do everything we can to make you feel it anyway).

When a brand book includes a complete photographic art direction, it’s so that a photographer can open it and know exactly where to go, without needing to call us three times first.

The value of a great brand book can be measured by how often it’s opened, read, annotated and bookmarked. It’s the document you consult while packing your camera bag. The one placed at the centre of creative meetings. The book you hand to a potential investor. The brand book we created for Rumor became a true bible carrying the brand’s values, vision, promise and ambition.

Who better to confirm it than Nore herself? “It’s my bible. I find it incredibly comprehensive. I go back to it whenever I have a new idea, a sketch or a reference. It’s exactly what I was hoping for.”

At EPIC, we never start with form. We start with substance, the essence, the positioning, the promise. Cyrielle’s strategy and Wen Zhu’s art direction evolved side by side, with every visual choice answering an intention, and every intention searching for its form.

For Rumor, we laid all the foundations: visual, verbal and strategic. Whether it’s styling, communication or future collections, everything can now grow from solid ground.