XOA
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Daphnée CHAROT is a 22-year-old French fashion designer and a graduate of ESMOD Paris’ Bachelor in Fashion Design. Trained in both fashion design and pattern cutting, she has a particular interest in cut, volume and garment construction. Drawn to menswear, she chose to specialise in Menswear during her final year at ESMOD. In her work, design and pattern cutting are closely intertwined, allowing her to approach a garment as a whole, from initial concept through to construction.
In 2026, she founded XOA, named after her Vietnamese grandmother who moved to France in the 1950s and worked as a seamstress at Balmain. The name pays tribute to her family history.
Primarily a menswear label, XOA explores a contemporary vision of men’s clothing built around a balance of elegance, originality and wearability: carefully crafted garments, distinctive in their cuts, volumes and details, yet designed to be genuinely worn.
Her first collection, Back to Black, inspired by Amy Winehouse’s song, exposes the construction of the garment by revealing elements that are usually hidden. Unlined pieces, transparency and construction details become part of its aesthetic. Wool, leather, organza, tweed and denim come together in shades of black, where contrasts in texture and layering create a structured, minimalist aesthetic. Selected as one of ten finalists at the 2025 “Festival International des Créateurs de Mode de Dinan”, Daphnée presented eight silhouettes from the collection.
Invited to Vancouver Fashion Week in October 2026, Daphnée is creating an entirely new second collection of eight silhouettes for the occasion, entitled Frimas. Inspired by the 1940s, she reinterprets selected codes from the era, breaking away from Back to Black by moving from black to a palette of whites and ecrus, punctuated by shades of brown. This new exploration remains true to XOA’s identity, combining distinctiveness, craftsmanship and wearability.
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What inspired her journey into fashion design and the creation of her brand?
Daphnée’s training at ESMOD Paris played an essential role in shaping her identity as a designer, particularly through the guidance of and exchanges with her fashion design and pattern-cutting tutors. Drawn to menswear, she naturally chose to specialise in this field during her final year. She is interested in its codes and the demands of its cut and construction, as well as the possibilities of transforming them to offer a contemporary vision of menswear.
How would she describe XOA’s identity and design philosophy?
Through XOA, Daphnée primarily seeks to develop a contemporary vision of menswear built around a balance of elegance, originality and wearability. She imagines garments with a strong identity, distinguished by their cut, volumes or details without becoming excessive or difficult to wear. She pursues a form of elegance that is neither overly formal nor too traditional, leaving room for creativity and individuality.
What inspired this collection?
The invitation to Vancouver Fashion Week was the starting point for Frimas. Its name, a French term rarely used today, evokes the first cold days, frost and wintry mists—imagery reflected in the collection’s pale palette and materials. Daphnée turned to the 1940s, reinterpreting selected codes and details from the era through a contemporary perspective.
Why did she create XOA, and what does the name mean?
XOA is the name of Daphnée’s Vietnamese grandmother. After moving to France in the 1950s, she worked for several years as a seamstress at Balmain. When searching for a name for her label, choosing her grandmother’s name felt like a natural way to pay tribute to her.
Which pieces are the most emblematic?
Among the eight looks, Daphnée considers the trench coat from look 5, the aviator jacket from look 6 and the leather jacket and Bermuda shorts ensemble from look 1 to be particularly emblematic. These silhouettes express the collection’s identity through their volumes, proportions and combinations of materials.