Meet the Mixologists Spicing Up Fashion Events With Custom Cocktails

Le Syndicat bar in Paris. Courtesy of Domaine Syndicat

These days, it seems that no fashion party is complete without a custom cocktail — and luxury brands know just who to call on for that exclusive touch.

Paris bar Le Syndicat’s catering branch is flourishing, with a client list that includes Prada, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chloé. And for those who don’t make the guest list, the speakeasy-style watering hole, which has featured several times in the prestigious World’s 50 Best Bars ranking, is launching a range of cocktails in a can.

Founded in 2014, the bar is rooted in a mission to promote old-fashioned French spirits such as Calvados, Armagnac and cognac by modernizing them for a new, urban clientele.

“We’re not just making cocktails, we’re telling a story,” says founder Romain Le Mouëllic, who turned his back on a career in real estate to create Domaine Syndicat, aka the Organization for the Defense of French Spirits.

To a hip-hop soundtrack, the venue serves drinks with a gastronomic twist, often featuring unexpected ingredients such as cheese. Its current menu was developed in collaboration with six leading chefs, including Amaury Bouhours, the executive chef at Le Meurice, and Louise Bourrat, the winner of the 2022 edition of the French edition of the TV show “Top Chef.”

“In the industry, we call it a five-star dive bar, meaning that the place might not always be super organized, but on the other hand, the cocktails are flawless,” Le Mouëllic says. “To us, true luxury means that our products are exceptional, and then the rest can be casual and perhaps more guided by intuition than traditional business rules.”

It’s that mix of perfectionism and hipster cool that has made Le Syndicat a go-to partner for fashion events.

For its residence at Selfridges department store in London, which will run until Feb. 25, Loewe commissioned the bar to develop cocktails inspired by the Japanese animated film “Howl’s Moving Castle” to celebrate its latest collaboration with Studio Ghibli.

The Coco Cloud, one of three exclusive cocktails created for the occasion, is topped with a dome of lime-scented smoke, which is swept aside with a feather before drinking. For the after party of Valentino’s haute couture show, held at Maxim’s in Paris in January, Le Syndicat developed a margarita with amaro, an Italian herbal liqueur.

“The possibilities for customization are unbelievable. We can create cocktails for each brand, each collection. With cocktails, you can tell a story and provide a 360-degree experience,” says Jacquot.

“It’s come at a time when the codes of luxury and streetwear are blurring,” she adds. “Brands want a young, eclectic staff with a certain vibe. Even with clients like Prada, our bartenders are generally on familiar terms with guests. That’s important to note, too, because they really come to us looking for this vision of hospitality.”

Now Le Syndicat wants to bring its expertise to the masses, with the launch of ready-to-drink cocktails under its Féfé brand. In contrast to the U.S., the segment is still relatively underdeveloped in France.

“Cocktails are a new continent in the drinks industry,” says Le Mouëllic. “We are at the avant-garde of this trend and we really believe in it. We see that the market for cocktails is growing and we believe that in France, nobody is better placed than us to develop this craft.”

Jacquot notes that Le Syndicat has a purist approach in a sector ruled by drinks conglomerates. “Whereas the big groups focus primarily on financial objectives, we are all about the product,” she contends.

Recipes include a Pornstar Martini made with Armagnac, passion fruit and spices, and a Candy Negroni that includes raspberry eau de vie, a Corsican apéritif drink, and Banyuls dessert wine. “Our job is also to democratize access to traditional French spirits,” Le Mouëllic explains.

French producers are grateful for the support. While cognac enjoys a thriving export market in the United States and China, other regions are struggling as changing lifestyles dampen demand for their spirits.

In a story that sounds like a plotline from “Emily in Paris,” Le Mouëllic and Jacquot convinced Patrick de Montal, the octogenarian owner of Château Arton, to pose for a picture with a can of their seltzer flavored with Armagnac, strawberry and cocoa. Not only did he order more online, but they were subsequently inducted into the Company of Musketeers of Armagnac, a rare honor.

“The descendant of d’Artagnan sings your praises in an old castle and hands you the musketeer’s sash. After that, you basically become a defender of Armagnac across the world,” Le Mouëllic explains. “They really have horses and they really have swords,” Jacquot enthuses.

Those kinds of roots are precious to them as they set their sights on conquering a broader customer base. “It’s important because we want to be a bridge between French tradition and modernity. We’re anchored in an urban setting, the bar is in Paris, and it’s crucial to maintain this link with the places where tradition is born,” Le Mouëllic says.

In celebration of Paris Fashion Week, Le Syndicat shared a couple of signature creations: