SINCE OPENING her first shop in 2001, this astute businesswoman who claims to be "more instinctive than technical" has never stopped expanding on her concept. First with Paul & Joe Beauty, offering products made by Albion in cheerful eye-catching packaging. In 2005 Albou launched Paul & Joe Little for kids ages 5 to 12, followed by the instantly successful Paul & Joe Sister in 2006.

More urban and affordable while maintaining the same devotion to quality, the label is now sold in some 30 countries. In parallel, the main line has been repositioned with a more upmarket identity, backed by runway shows at the Louvre and a new shop on Avenue Montaigne. Another sign of this dynamism is the Paul & Joe for Pierre Cardin collection, for which Albou, an avid collector of vintage dresses, updates the master's designs. But the foundation of her success is an uncanny flair for knowing what will appeal to her clientele.

 Everything she does generates worldwide buzz, like her partnership with Disney in 2008 or her collaborations with Target and Perrier. Sophie Albou has a thousand and one projects in the works, including more store openings and a new Disney venture based on Alice in Wonderland. Her charm is in the way she retains an Alice-like wonderment in her work: over 15 years she has built up an empire, but seems to be having fun with it, as though it were still the very first day

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