Barbara Boccara, co-founder of ba&sh, discusses how her contemporary Parisian label is committed to designing the ideal woman’s wardrobe as well as to transforming women’s lives
“We created clothes for women for every moment: to go to work, to go on vacation, for sexy moments. It’s a woman’s wardrobe, from morning until evening, and for each different pace of life. That is the idea of ba&sh,” says Barbara Boccara, who with high school friend Sharon Krief founded the contemporary Parisian fashion label with a focus on what women want in—and from—their wardrobes in 2003.
“The style is very feminine and sexy, but not vulgar,” Boccara tells Tatler Front & Female while visiting Singapore recently. “And of course, it’s trendy without copying. There are very feminine silhouettes and it’s very joyful.”
It has been, perhaps, an unlikely success story. Neither co-founder went to fashion school and while Boccara had begun her career as a press officer in the fashion industry, Krief had studied law. It was not until they had both had children that they decided to follow their passion for fashion with the launch of their own label. The press liked their style and their story, and ba&sh continued to grow, its appeal translating across the world where, two decades later, it boasts more than 300 stores.
Ba&sh's flagship store at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, which opened in 2023
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As women in business, the duo haven’t faced many of the struggles that challenge female founders. They have surrounded themselves with other women, even though unintentionally—as a company, ba&sh is 85 percent female with an almost entirely female Board of Directors.
“But, this is not my fight,” says Boccara. “It’s not my fight to have more women in the business.” Rather, there are other causes that matter deeply to Boccara and Krief, and which, through ba&sh, they are increasingly supporting.
“I’m lucky to come from a family who was not rich, but had a big heart. I followed my parents, especially my mum, who always showed me how to give back to people. And Sharon and I, when we started ba&sh, we wanted to give a similar meaning to the brand, and we decided that we would add purpose to our brand, and not only when we started making profits but from day one. In the beginning, it was not money. We did not have money to give, but we gave clothes that were not being sold.”
See also: When luxury meets impact: 6 global brands championing women and girls’ empowerment
