Genes is a modern story of expression, and the seeds to that were sown in 1979 when founders Didier Lecoanet and
Hemant Sagar met as students at the prestigious fashion school of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in Paris.
They went on to establish the house of Lecoanet Hemant in 1981 & opened their first store opposite the Élysée Palace in Paris, at Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré in the same year.
The codes of the house of Lecoanet Hemant became the guiding force behind the inception of Genes. In 2000, they moved their headquarters to Gurgaon in India to focus on ready-to-wear.
The year 2007 saw them complete the construction of their 10,000 square meter state of the art factory and studio, which designs and produces garments combining innovative artisanal work, adhering and respecting all international procedures and guidelines of high level dressmaking in sync with an industry-scaled production.
A deep appreciation for individuality was born out of the cross cultural influences that shaped Hemant and Didier. Didier grew up in provincial France and Hemant had an Indo- German upbringing. At the heart of their design philosophies, lied the importance of people. 'Expression' is key and hence
all the diverse storytelling and multifaceted inspirations infuse the clothes with an intuitive energy and humour.
There is a very creative approach to material exploration that stems from the early days when the atelier worked with unconventional textiles & surfaces to create couture. A significant part of the identity are the people they work with. A socially responsible work environment where everyone is treated with respect forms the solid ground on which Genes is built.
Widely recognized for the couture creations, they were bestowed with numerous awards - The Excellence Award of the University of Miami in 1984, The international Prize for "Clothing of the Year 2000" in Osaka in 1985 and The Golden Mannequin Award in Moscow in 1994 to name a few. The De d'Or (Golden Thimble Award) is an award for the most creative and elegant collection of the Haute Couture season in Paris and Lecoanet Hemant was its proud recipient in 1994. The Swarovski "Paris Capitale de la Creation" Prize was conferred upon them by the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe in 2005.
