How to Keep a Cult Brand Quiet

Plus: One-on-One With the Self-Proclaimed "Apocaloptimist"

View in browser | Update preferences SUBSCRIBE FOR FULL ACCESS For a certain set, the allure of Charvet is well-known. The French shirtmaker has been fitting a wide range of clientele—including the likes of Winston Churchill, JFK, Serge Gainsbourg, Yves Saint Laurent, David Beckham, and Chloë Sevigny—for 188 years after all. Yet it has still maintained an air of mystery even among those who can afford to spend around $900 for a full bespoke shirt. VF's Marisa Meltzer visited with Jean-Claude and Anne-Marie Colban, the low-profile siblings who run the family business, while on a recent trip to Paris. In this tell-all, the Colbans reveal—okay, sorry, I know that's not even believable. Jean-Claude and Anne-Marie hold their cards close to their chests; that's all part of the appeal, of course. Meltzer spent time with the pair to learn more about the Charvet ethos, find out how the shirts are made, and understand how to actually keep luxury quiet. LINDSEY UNDERWOOD, SENIOR EDITOR Why this ad? Cuffing Season BY MARISA MELTZER "We don't like rational. We don't like rational at all." Charvet is more talked about than ever—and the family behind it wishes we'd be more discreet. For the Spring 2026 issue, senior staff writer Marisa Meltzer visits the siblings who run the business and dress its discerning clientele. READ MORE Get more as a Vanity Fair subscriber Exclusive offer: Subscribe to get one month of Vanity Fair free START YOUR FREE TRIAL More Great Reads FILM The AI Economy Is "Propped Up by a Ponzi Scheme" BY JOHN ROSS Daniel Roher, codirector of The AI Doc, calls himself an "apocaloptimist," meaning he's supposedly bullish about the AI revolution. But in conversation, those positive vibes aren't always easy to come by. READ MORE FROM THE MAGAZINE Valerie Cherish Answers the Proust Questionnaire BY VALERIE CHERISH The sitcom star, HBO Comeback queen, and, okay, fictional character—created by Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King—waxes poetic about honesty, dishonesty, and Marky Mark. (No, not that one.) READ MORE From the Archive Cos He Could BY MARK SEAL While scores of women had accused him of sexual assault, Bill Cosby's 2016 trial was the result of a single night, in January 2004, when he allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted Andrea Constand. From the August 2016 issue, Mark Seal investigates how Cosby finally landed in a courthouse. READ MORE Why this ad? Trending Stories Miley Cyrus on Finding Sobriety After Being a Child Star On the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana, Cyrus talks her career, family relationships, and road to recovery: "I was so used to living at a high, and I don't think I ever learned how to come down from that." Nicola Peltz Says her Parents Took Brooklyn Beckham In Like "Another Son" Amid the ongoing Beckham family drama, Peltz opens up about how her husband fits into the Peltz clan. MORE FROM VANITY FAIR POLITICS BUSINESS HOLLYWOOD STYLE ROYALS CELEBRITY This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.