ELLES

PORTRAIT

ELLES are the ones who matter without needing to say it with words.

The ones with whom you laugh louder, sometimes too loud.

The ones with whom you want to share sacred moments.

THE RADIANT

CAMILLE

CAMILLE

From the Instagram account @camille_joulia

Camille, and her sister Charlotte, answer questions from the brunettes' office.

SHE

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Hypersensitive, neurodivergent, intuitive.

I have the full "zebra" package, for better or for worse!


What motivates you in the morning when you wake up?

My meaningful work. It's fundamental for me. I couldn't live without contributing to the collective and well-being. Being an empath, I need to feel a deep connection with others to thrive daily. Without it, I wither. I am so happy every morning to be able to do a job I'm passionate about and to see people blossom every day.

 

What makes you smile unexpectedly, the kind of smile you can't control?

True, free, and unconditional kindness.

There's a part of you that few people know about. What is it?

I'm passionate and excessive by nature! When I like something, I become a real geek and devour everything on the subject!

Charlotte, can you describe Camille as you see her?

Camille is radiant, passionate, and generous. Camille is elegant and authentic. She proves that you can be stylish without being superficial. She has great taste and puts her whole heart into making us shine. She has a gift for finding pieces that truly reflect us.

I am so happy every morning to be able to do a job I am passionate about and to see people blossom every day.

YOUR WORLD

Describe the place where you feel most yourself.

In nature, whatever it may be, savoring the silence and the singing of birds.

 

What shaped you into who you are today?

The fight I waged to recover from my eating disorders. I finally overcame them 3 years ago. This shaped my current life and how I approach my profession. I feel that all those difficult years were a necessary passage to lead me to this profession and to be as fair as possible in my support.


Was there a moment, an encounter, a turning point that changed everything?

A decisive encounter with a former colleague when I was a middle school teacher. She supported and elevated me like no one before. She rekindled my love for dressing up and finding beautiful pieces, something I had completely neglected but had always done since my adolescence.

What object represents you?

My color palettes! I use them every day with my clients and for myself too!

 

Do you have a quirk, a ritual, a little habit that you wouldn't change for anything in the world?

My evening yoga. Essential after my busy and emotional Parisian days.

Charlotte, is there a habit of Camille's that makes you smile and that you wouldn't change for anything in the world?

She can doll herself up just to go and buy bread. Always chic, I love it!

THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE

What woman has shaped, consciously or unconsciously, part of who you are today?

An exceptional holistic coach.

 

Is there a specific memory with her that often comes to mind?

The memory of our first meeting, which was a real friendly crush.

Do you have any relatives who sew? And you, have you ever thought about it?

My maternal grandmother and my mother did a lot of sewing but there was never any transmission. I learned to use a machine in my teens with the help of a friend.

I really loved ethnic fabrics at the time and started sewing after our trip to Senegal where I brought back all sorts of magnificent batik and wax! It was a joy to spend days creating our own outfits. At that time, I was looking to wear unique, original pieces with a story. I've changed a lot, now being into solids and minimalism.

We often talk about intergenerational transmission between women: a gesture, a look, a way of being. What have you received, and what do you pass on in turn, consciously or not?

I was passed down a taste for beauty, for fine materials, for durability and timelessness.

 

Is there a woman to whom you've never really said what she means to you?

No, none! When I love, I say it, and above all, I show it through many small gestures of attention.

I was taught to appreciate beauty, fine materials, durability, and timelessness.

FASHION, COLORS, PASSION

This fashion flair, this sense of color and combinations... where does it come from? Is there a woman, an image, or a memory that gave you this eye?

Beyond fashion, what has always fascinated and attracted me is Beauty in everything and for everything. I love harmony (I used to play music and sing in my previous life) in all its forms: the harmony of colors, shapes, sounds, tastes, materials, and I love to reveal this harmony in each person. Everyone has their own melody, and what matters to me is to help people return to themselves through clothing.

 

 

We all have a first fashion memory: a woman we admired, a piece we absolutely wanted, a moment when we realized that getting dressed was more than just covering up. What's yours?

It's not a specific piece, actually. I've never been one to dream of a particular item. I've always been very particular about my appearance and fiercely determined to have always very coordinated outfits, even as a child. With my weight issues, it was my way of taking care of myself, of giving myself all the love and confidence I needed.

Where does your sense of color and associations come from: transmission, instinct, or a bit of both?

Both! I'm self-taught and creative. I've always instinctively spotted harmonious associations. I then took a course to explore in detail all the technical aspects I was missing.

 

Does fashion still fascinate you, or has it become something more tranquil, a given, like a language you speak fluently without thinking about it?

Paradoxically, "fashion" as it's commonly understood has never fascinated me. What I like is to enhance and highlight all kinds of beauty, all bodies and faces. I fight every day to break the codes of beauty standards that are impossible to achieve. We are all exceptions to a rule that doesn't exist, despite what we are led to believe.

I am so touched when my clients smile at themselves in the mirror again!

ATELIER BRUNETTE

We have collaborated several times. What immediately drew you into the world of Atelier Brunette?

The world of handmade and custom-made! I love the idea of creating a garment that reflects our personality, unique in every way. Even though I don't sew anymore, I wanted to encourage, in my own way, women and men who continue to convey strong values through sewing.

 

You recently spoke on our Journal and on Instagram about the 3-color rule: a rule we deconstructed together. How do you explain why such ingrained "rules" sometimes deserve to be questioned?

Because, like everything else, it gets distorted over time, especially in the age of social media. It's essential to always question things and go back to the fundamentals.

 

It is said that colors have a message. What is yours and what does it say about you?

Yes, all colors have a particular energy and symbolism. On this subject, I invite any interested Brunettes to read Michel Pastoureau's books (a fascinating historian of colors). 

Color has a strong psychological dimension: the eye's perception of each color triggers an immediate reaction in the brain and nervous system. I finally understood why blue is my favorite color: it relaxes and soothes me.

 

If you had to choose an Atelier Brunette color that truly represents you, which one would it be and why?

Blue Sky, of course!

 

Your favorite color combination from the Atelier Brunette collections, the one you would recommend without hesitation?

With the new collection, I really fell in love with the Vanilla Ice + Jelly Purple combo! They look magnificent together!

I wanted to encourage, in my own way, women and men who continue to convey strong values through sewing

YOUR CRAFT, ITS TRANSMISSION

There was a click, an obviousness. Tell us how you became the one who helps women find themselves in what they wear, to feel like themselves?

This profession came to me. After resigning from the national education system, I was destined to be a naturopath.

But life had other plans! I applied for a job while waiting to start my training at a second-hand shop that I loved, and I'm still there! I had always informally advised my friends and family, and I never thought of making it a profession. It became obvious within this consignment store, which placed complete trust in me. Thanks to my bosses at La Frange à l'envers! I was able to discover my true talent for advising, and that's how it all began!

 

What is the most important part of your job for you?

Beyond the "fashion" and clothing aspect in a broad sense, what I like is helping people "return to themselves."

I only accompany them, and they do the rest themselves.

I give them space for an exchange to develop. I guide and help them reveal themselves, trust themselves, and bring out what is already there and has always been there: their beauty, their uniqueness, their colors, their tastes, their style, their entire being that constitutes them. What I like is to bring out all the facets of a person, with everything they don't express and that I see in them. I use clothing to restore confidence and provide a bubble of comfort and reassurance.

 

 

How does your job as an image consultant resonate with the Atelier Brunette approach, this idea of building a coherent, sustainable wardrobe that truly reflects you?

Our approach and values are similar. What I advocate and champion every day is understanding what suits us so that we can consume less but better, and above all have a wardrobe that reflects us, in our image, to create a "custom, comfortable and durable style"! That's my motto!

 

What, for you, is the secret to achieving THE perfect look? Not the golden rule, but your personal trick.

Follow your instinct and creativity. Trust yourself!

We already know what suits us if we dare to listen to ourselves.

 

If there was a next topic you'd like to explore or share with the Atelier Brunette community, what would it be?

I would love to explore different body types and silhouettes to help Brunettes choose the most suitable patterns for them.

ELLES, BY ATELIER BRUNETTE

When you accompany a woman, you don't change who she is, you reveal what was already there. Is there a woman in your life who has done this for you, without necessarily realizing it?

Yes, several friends have played this role in my life; they have allowed me to reveal who I am, both inside and out.

ELLES is a campaign that talks about the women who help us grow. In your profession, you are often the one who allows a woman to reveal herself, to reclaim something. How do you carry out this role: with lightness, with care, or both?

Both. I make it a point to make my clients feel very comfortable by using a lot of humor (at my level)! This doesn't stop me from striving for excellence and being very demanding. I give my heart and soul to every person I meet and take the utmost care of them. I give my all to everyone.

If you had to sew a piece for the woman you are today, what story would you want it to tell?

It would express my deep love for natural and timeless style.

Title

Thank you, Camille, for opening the doors to your world.

Through your journey and perspective, you remind us that clothing tells more than just a silhouette: it is a language, a refuge, a way to express oneself and to reveal oneself.

This exchange deeply resonates with what we at Atelier Brunette love to convey: creating with intention.

GO BACK TO THE JOURNAL