Hello everyone, I am Marie Deberre, the creator of the Upcycling brand Atelier Coquillette. I hand sew unique pieces made from second-hand household linens.
Today, I dedicate a large part of my daily life to the evolution of my brand which I launched in June 2022. I spend most of my time in my workshop, sewing, finding new fabrics in collection centers.
I owe my eco-responsible commitment to a trigger, an awareness : To my mother, who always recycled old things to make new things. Furniture, fabric, objects of all kinds. Use your creativity to transform before throwing away.
In this sense, I am involved in/I support the Emmaüs and La Croix-Rouge associations where I find most of my sheets, curtains and tablecloths.
The way I perceive the world around me and how I interact with others has been heavily influenced by my 2-year trip to Australia and Southeast Asia. The second-hand culture is very developed there. And that helped me a lot in creating my concept.
Since we are focusing on Australia, let me tell you an anecdote: One day in a “Second Hand Shop” I found a backpack in the shape of a dinosaur, it followed me everywhere during my trip , I loved him. During my last stop in Indonesia, I lived in a hostel, and the owner's daughter had fallen in love with my backpack, I ended up giving it to her, telling myself that he would continue to travel like that.
I like to think that the desire to support noble causes is contagious. So if I had to give advice to those who have not yet taken the plunge: Before going to buy a new one or throwing it in the trash, ask around you about donation collection centers, or well on the online MarketPlaces, there will most likely be what you are looking for and what's more at a low price.
However, adopting a more ethical and responsible lifestyle is not a linear process: I myself will always buy new fabric from time to time for my own consumption when I am looking for something specific. I've done it less and less since the creation of Coquillette but I still do it sometimes... so, I might as well laugh about it: lightness above all!
Find Marie’s creations here.
Instagram: @ateliercoquillette
