French label Rue du Mail swims against the mainstream

The world doesn't need one more coat, one more shirt or dress for the sake of it, so we want to say something with our clothes," says fashion designer Martine Sitbon of independent Parisian label Rue du Mail.

Sitbon has just shown a sultry autumn-winter 2013/14 collection at Paris Fashion Week, and the team, family and friends are gathered at a post-show dinner at an American restaurant in the Etienne-Marcel area. The low-key affair is very "non-fashion".

Rue du Mail, founded by Hong Kong entrepreneur Jimmy K.W. Chan of Semeiotics, is in its eighth year, and he and Sitbon are letting their hair down after another impressive show.

It's "an ethos of nurturing and educating creative talents" that drives the small fashion house, Chan says. This is particularly fitting because Sitbon herself has mentored a noted generation of designers, including Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno and new Sonia Rykiel artistic director Geraldo da Conceicao.

Describing Sitbon as a genius, Chan says "she is probably one of the only living women fashion designers that also can teach so well, with a history of mentoring all these big names".

For someone so influential in French fashion, Sitbon, a former creative director of Chloé as well as eponymous labels, flies remarkably under the radar. But come to one of her shows - and the line-up of VIPs and industry insiders coming to personally congratulate her is some small indication of Sitbon's standing in Paris. She also holds France's Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite for her work.