On May 24, 2019, the Atelier Français opened its doors...
One year ago, after several months of intensive work, we exchanged our workers' clothes for our best outfits, to welcome you for the very first time... I remember this particular emotion so well: the paint was barely fresh, the shop was half full, but above all the heart full of doubts and hope ♡
We had thought about this project from all angles, supported it despite the uncertainties, defended it despite the criticisms. "Why a concept store in the heart of Vence? So go to the coast, or in the heart of Polygone, you'll get more traffic, it'll be more profitable". "Made in France is good, but it's too expensive".
All these preconceived ideas increased our motivation tenfold: we weren't there to create a multinational and line our own pockets. No, what we wanted was to offer a new consumer experience, far away from the large, aseptic shops full of merchandise. A moment of exchange and sharing, around a subject that concerns us all: where does this product come from? How was it thought/made/designed? How far did it travel to get to me? How was its price calculated? So many questions that fast-fashion has made us forget in recent years.
What we didn't expect, on the other hand, was the welcome you gave us... so many "wahou", "c'est beau", "bravo", and my favourite: "Thank you for opening this in Vence" :)
Very quickly, we had the joy of knowing, finding, discovering, an attaching, faithful, adorable clientele... So this day so dear to our heart, we want to dedicate it to you: THANK YOU.
Thank you for believing in us, for having carried us so high that even the current health crisis did not make us come down from our little cloud!
- Thank you to our friends, our family, who have supported us since the very beginning of this adventure, and who like, share our posts, talk about us around them, write stories every time we go to the shop! All this, at the risk of getting their entourage drunk????. They will recognize themselves!
- Thanks to our loyal customers, who come to see us every week, and who help us every day to go a little further. Those who supported us during the confinement, by ordering on our website, by mail, by phone and even Whatsapp. They will recognize themselves and we are infinitely grateful to them!
- Thank you to those who, with patience and kindness, forgive our little quibbles, our mistakes in labels, our stock, our out-of-stock sizes. We learn every day to become better, thanks to you!
- Thank you to my collaborator Manon, who joined the adventure this winter, and has invested 200%. I am happy to be able to share this incredible experience with her.
- Thanks to those who didn't believe in it, or who disappointed us. To the few who didn't like our products and allowed us to question ourselves, and to grow even faster.
- Finally, thank you to my husband & children, who accepted with patience and love, to share their wife, their mother, with the job of shopkeeper and company manager. This life is a race against time that leaves little time for idleness. But we also want to fight against this... So in advance, forgive us for being closed on Sundays and Mondays, we would obviously like to work 7 days a week, but we have a life to build, and we could not welcome you in the same way if we did not take the time to live and recharge our batteries...
This first page of our history will remain, by far, the most beautiful, but we can't wait to discover the rest, at your side ❤
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Amélie
