Claire de Rouen opened above a sex shop in Soho in 2005 with a party for Bruce Weber, and has been a cult shopping and research destination for books on visual culture ever since. A London institution with a very special international clientele, those who visit discover an ongoing curation of books and magazines that define the current interplay between art, fashion, and photography.
After Claire's passing in 2012, artist Lucy Kumara Moore, who had worked alongside Claire, became the new director, continuing to cultivate a vibrant relationship with London's fashion scene and building on the bookshop's female identity. After twelve outstanding years, Lucy decided to carefully hand the bookshop over to focus on her art practice, special projects, and family.
We are honoured and beyond excited to become the new custodians of this magical place, with its extraordinary legacy. Claire de Rouen has always held a special significance for Chantal Webber, representing an essential hub of curiosity and inspiration. The shop was her entry point into fashion photography in her early twenties, with hours spent at Charing Cross Road browsing the shelves, attending signings, and taking part in the Exit Gallery exhibitions in the bookshop's stairway.
In this new chapter, Claire de Rouen looks to retain its core values and longstanding connections. We seek to create a wide discussion on what’s new, possible, and meaningful.
More soon,
Chantal, Dom & Flora
