The History of the Poetic Wardrobe
The birth of the Poetic Wardrobe
At the very beginning of the story, in September 2020, there was an idea, that of creating a place in Bordeaux dedicated to ethical clothing where you can find:
- Ethical clothing and accessories from existing brands, most of which can only be found online.
- Explanations of the entire manufacturing chain, including current weaknesses and ongoing improvements.
- Explanations on the impact of clothing on the environment and the living conditions of populations in countries of the South.
- A presentation of the countries where the raw materials come from (in particular cotton, which grows in India and Africa), and in particular of the projects enabling these raw materials to be grown.
Then very quickly, to give substance to this idea, the question of the name of this project arose. So to start a collective dynamic, to have more ideas, to have a good time, we organized, with the supporters of the early hour of the project, a workshop (in video, Covid obliges) of co-creation to find THE name!
After imagining what kind of clothing we could be, having noted all the names we found awful, we suggested all the words that came to mind, and during a break, while talking with someone outside the group, one of us came up with the word 'poetic'. A magnificent word, at the crossroads of poetry and ethics, it was unanimously accepted. All that remained was to associate it with the word wardrobe, a private piece of furniture that contains our entire wardrobe and many other things!
From idea to realization
After finding the name, to feel less alone and get moving, I wanted to get support. I contacted Les Premières Nouvelle Aquitaine to find out how to join their GO program, a support program for women entrepreneurs or mixed teams that takes place over several months and includes individual and group support.
Following an initial interview, during which I realized that the project I found so clear and advanced was perhaps only at the idea stage, I still wanted to apply for the GO program and I received the application form to fill out... And then, panic, I had to provide a forecast turnover for the first 3 years, a market study, a state of the competition... for 2 months later...
After a period of research, discussions with my supporters, a survey to which around 300 people responded, a meeting in Paris with Christine from the boutique Le sourire multicolore , a videoconference with Marie from WeDressFair , a meeting in Lyon with Philippe from the boutique Monde Ethique , the file was ready and the project much clearer.
And in December, I had the pleasant surprise of being invited to an interview and then being selected to be part of the January 2021 GO class!
3 months of group workshops, 6 months of individual support, 12 months of project development work, 3 months of fitting out the premises allowed the Armoire Poéthique to open its doors on March 29, 2022!
A huge thank you to all of you who supported the project and allowed me to make it come to fruition!
