LITERARY DINNERS

PASSION FOR STYLE — WHETHER IN CLOTHING OR LITERATURE.

Style is what connects literature and fashion. An elegance, a form, a movement, a material, a color…

Because in Latin, text and fabric share the same root, Figaret celebrates this subtle link between writing and style — the panache of writers who, through their words as well as their attire, shape a unique aesthetic.

Literature has always taken an interest in clothing: it defines a character, reflects an era, affirms an identity. At Figaret, we share this passion for style — whether literary or sartorial.

To keep it alive, since 2022 we have hosted the Figaret Literary Dinners: intimate gatherings where writers and personalities share their admiration for an author, a passage, or a book that “changed their life.”

Moments of sharing, elegance, and transmission — much like our fifty-year-old shirtmaking heritage.

  • THE HOST

    Led by Éléonore Baudry, President of Maison Figaret, the Literary Dinners aim to bring people together, to share, and to pass on knowledge — giving a voice to those who wield words with as much art as passion.

  • THE GUESTS

    Gathered around an intimate, convivial table, curious and inspired minds exchange ideas on what unites them: a shared appreciation for style, for well-chosen words, and for clothes that stand the test of time.

  • THE PLACE

    In the heart of our historic Rue de la Paix boutique, the Literary Dinners come to life in a hushed atmosphere—one that invites conversation, reflection, and a shared love for the beauty of language.

  • APRIL 22

  • Maria Pourchet's passion for the style of Romain Gary

  • SEPTEMBER 22

  • Charles Pépin's passion for the style of Albert Camus

  • MARCH 23

  • Olivia De Lamberterie's passion for the style of Joseph Kessel

  • JUNE 23

  • Ariel Wizman's passion for the style of Jorge Luis Borges

  • SEPTEMBER 23

  • François-Henri Deserable's passion for the style of Nicolas Bouvier

PASSION FOR STYLE

  • JANUARY 24

  • Christophe Ono-dit-Biot's passion for the style of Bret Easton Ellis

  • MARCH 24

  • David Foenkinos' passion for the style of Philip Roth

  • NOVEMBER 24

  • Bruno Le Maire's passion for the style of Franz Kafka

  • JULY 25

  • Rebecca Manzoni's passion for the style of Annie Ernaux

  • NOVEMBER 25

  • Augustin Trapenard's passion for the style of the Brontë sisters

THE GUEST

AUGUSTIN TRAPENARD — EDITION NO. 10

Augustin Trapenard is a journalist and literary critic. A graduate of the École Normale Supérieure and holder of the English agrégation, he first taught English and American literature before dedicating himself fully to the media. Passionate about literature, he wrote the afterword for the first French edition of The Brussels Papers by Emily Brontë and published his first literary reviews in Le Magazine Littéraire and ELLE.

A leading figure in the French cultural landscape, he made his mark on radio with Le Carnet d’or on France Culture and Boomerang on France Inter, as well as on television with 21cm and Le Cercle on Canal+. He later hosted Plumard on BrutX before taking over La Grande Librairie on France 5, the last major literary program on French television.

In 2025, he joined RTL to host Variétés, a weekly show blending culture and intimate artist conversations. At the same time, he is deeply committed to cultural accessibility through his role as patron of Bibliothèques Sans Frontières, an organization he has supported since 2018.

Augustin Trapenard, journalist and literary critic.

THE PORTRAIT

Which author’s style are you most passionate about?

The American writer William Faulkner.

Which book have you gifted the most?

Fragments of a Lover’s Discourse by Roland Barthes.

What’s your signature word or expression?

“Curious.”

What’s your favorite insult?

“Clown.”

What item of clothing makes you feel most like yourself?

My watch

What’s your unavowable flaw?

Destruction.

Which personality would you invite to our table?

The French novelist and playwright Christine Angot.

THE READINGS

Selected by Augustin Trapenard

The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were three English writers of the 19th century from Yorkshire. Raised in a rural, austere, and isolated environment, they found refuge early on in imagination and writing. Coming from a modest background, they first published their works under male pseudonyms — Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell — to avoid the prejudices of their time.

Emily Brontë, the most mysterious of the three, is famous for her only novel, Wuthering Heights (1847). Inspired by the wild landscapes of Yorkshire and her family’s personal tragedies, she explored obsessive love, revenge, and redemption through tormented characters who defy social norms. Upon its release, the novel shocked readers with its darkness and intensity, but it is now recognized as a masterpiece of world literature, often compared to a Greek or Shakespearean tragedy.

Despite Emily's premature death at the age of 30,Wuthering Heights continues to inspire artists and filmmakers — most recently through a new adaptation by Emerald Fennell starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi — and cements Emily Brontë’s place as a major figure of English Romanticism, whose legacy remains timeless.

  • Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë (1847)

  • Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë (1847)

  • The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Brontë (1848)