Maison Fauve 10th Anniversary Competition

10 years… There are milestones in life, and this one is particularly important to me.

Each new year spent growing Maison Fauve is a small pride as a designer. And it is with great joy that we celebrate this anniversary. I am very proud to offer you on this occasion a great sewing challenge, with choice partners to spoil you. But before giving you the details of the 10-year competition, let me go back over the journey of Maison Fauve.

When I look back, I have the feeling of not having seen time pass, and at the same time I realize how much my brand, but also my life, has evolved since the launch of my very first collection.

The beginning of this adventure was a combination of circumstances. My career was mapped out (I was a dental surgeon), I had just had my second child, and I was discovering the world of sewing. I designed patterns for myself, to satisfy my passion for fashion and my creative desires.

The trigger and the first steps

It was during a party that some friends, who saw me so proud of my sewing, asked me why I didn't also offer to sell my models. These 2 friends had a company that created websites, and they had just bought a printing company: do you see the lucky star that started flashing?

It was at the same time that the haberdashery Pretty Mercerie contacted me to be the face of their 2015 back-to-school collection. It was June, and I saw an incredible opportunity: launch a small collection of patterns, accompanied by my friends for the "logistical" aspect of creating my site and printing the patterns, and benefiting from the visibility that the campaign for Pretty Mercerie would give me. I spent my summer 2015 working hard on this project, eating into my evenings, my vacations (to my husband's despair), to get everything ready. And I did it!

A small flame was lit, which has continued to grow ever since.

There were many steps, sometimes difficult decisions to make. For 5 years, I continued to practice as a dentist, and little by little my brand grew. I created new patterns, with the desire to offer each season my own vision of a hand-sewn wardrobe.

Crazy things happened to me:  I was contacted to write a book, I collaborated with magazines, haberdasheries approached me to sell my patterns. Things got out of control, and it was no longer possible to juggle my work at the firm, my family life with 2 young children and my creative activity without reaching exhaustion.

I decided to take a real risk: to give up my first job and throw myself completely into Maison Fauve. I didn't want to regret having let my chance slip away, even though I understood the sacrifices it represented for me, but also for my family.

I had a lot of ambition: if I was leaving a comfortable situation, for which I had worked so hard, it was to see very big. Maison Fauve would no longer be a side project, I had to succeed, I did not give myself the right to make mistakes. And I was not going alone to accelerate my brand.

From passion to full-time job

About 2 years before, I had approached an organization that supports entrepreneurs, the BGE of Lunel. This allowed me to structure my activity, well before I decided that it would "really" be my future career.

And it was after an entrepreneurial competition in which I was one of the winners that I met Julie. She wanted to develop professionally, and she suggested that we take this risk together. Our profiles were very complementary, I once again seized the opportunity that presented itself.

The adventure was underway: in 6 months we changed the company's statutes, launched the YouTube channel to offer video tutorials, and recruited our first 2 employees. This acceleration allowed me to fulfill another dream: to have our own fabric collections.

The rise of Maison Fauve

The team has grown a lot, and I have discovered a new facet of the entrepreneurial challenge: recruiting and managing employees. It is thanks to this decision that Maison Fauve has been able to continue its evolution: new premises, a larger team, but also many new responsibilities.

There are now 9 of us working at Maison Fauve, and one of my greatest prides is having succeeded in building, first alone, then with Julie, then all together, a company that lasts, that creates jobs, and without ever having had recourse to external financing.

And here we are, from a slightly crazy idea to the adventure of a lifetime, it's time to party together!

A sewing competition like no other to celebrate our 10th anniversary

This year, I thought about our sewing challenge differently. There is no new pattern, no sewing challenge to take on. I want to celebrate your presence with us differently.

My very first Maison Fauve creation was the Violette blouse (which made its big comeback yesterday). So to participate, I'm going to ask you to show us your first creation with our patterns.  You don't have to sew a specific garment to play, nor choose a particular fabric. The idea is to relive with you a sewing memory, a shared moment, a meeting between you and us!

And here are the partners who are joining us!

Our heartfelt partners

Pretty Mercerie

It is because Pretty Mercerie trusted me that I had the courage to launch my very first patterns. I had gone to Paris for an unforgettable shooting with Marion. I was so excited to show my creations sewn in their beautiful fabrics. I have a wonderful memory of this partnership, and many Maison Fauve patterns were sewn in beautiful Pretty Mercerie fabrics.

Pretty Mercerie is offering a €50 gift voucher.

The Guardian Boot

La Botte Gardiane is an iconic shoe and leather goods brand. As luck would have it, we are almost neighbors! I had asked La Botte Gardiane if they wanted to collaborate with us by lending us pieces for shootings, and to my great joy they said yes! We have collaborated on several photoshoots, for the La Piscine collection and in the 2022 Christmas edition of our magazine L'Œil Fauve.

La Botte Gardiane is bringing into play their natural leather Filet bag , a characterful piece that reinvents the concept of the traditional net bag, a must-have for the house!

Ilabella

Marguerite is a dear friend, and I am lucky enough to wear many pieces of jewelry from her brand. She also gives me the pleasure of lending us jewelry during our shootings to beautify our models. Ilabella has an elegant, feminine universe, and offers very beautiful semi-precious jewelry, handmade in France. Her creations invite you to travel.

Ilabella is putting into play a signature piece of the brand, a magnificent Indian necklace . The winner will be able to personalize with Marguerite the finish and the stone of her choice.

Eglantine & Zoé

Zoe draws wonderful prints, and the color palette of the wonderful  Églantine et Zoé fabrics bring joy to seamstresses every season. We have many memories together, especially from the CSF trade fairs where we shared a stand. And it is always a pleasure to discover the Maison Fauve patterns sewn in Églantine et Zoé fabrics.

Églantine et Zoé is giving away a 2.5m coupon of Edel printed viscose , in the color of your choice.

Pernille House

Axelle creates wonders, embroidered jewelry with delicate lines and full of poetry. She had asked me to collaborate on a special line of earrings in the colors of our Fauvae Botanica collection. And we had the privilege of lending Maison Pernille our models for several of her shootings.

Maison Pernille is putting into play a pair of Hortense earrings , the model around which our meeting was born.

Albin Michel editions

I was very touched to have been contacted by Albin Michel to promote, as a player in the world of fashion, the release of Grégoire Delacourt's novel "La liste 2 mes envies". It's always a pleasure to be able to explore other universes with Maison Fauve.

Albin Michel editions are putting into play 3 novels from the cozy crime collection @agatharaisin_and_co signed MC BEATON.

Jewelry feelings

Estelle and Olivier were introduced to me by a very close friend, so that I could talk to them about entrepreneurship, shortly before I decided to leave the firm. Estelle has always given good advice. Founders of the JWLA agency, they also created the Sentiments jewelry brand: beautiful pieces to celebrate love, offer a sweet memory, wish good luck, offer an emotion.

Sentiments offers you the chance to win one of their signature jewels, the Amour bangle.

Saint Peter's Coupons

All seamstresses know that Coupons de Saint Pierre are a must-see place to find beautiful fabrics at low prices. Pioneers in the sale of fabrics in 3m coupons, they are a key player in the world of sewing!

Alisson trusted me when Maison Fauve was a very young brand, and we have the opportunity to collaborate for magazines. I was even lucky enough to be welcomed during a special evening at the Atelier des Coupons to present my work.

The Saint Pierre Coupons are offering a €150 gift voucher.

Rascol haberdashery

Rascol is a very beautiful brand, well known and loved by seamstresses. They trusted me by offering Maison Fauve patterns when the brand was very young, and our partnership has continued for all these years. It is a great pride for us to see our patterns offered each season at Rascol. The team is always a privileged partner and ready to spoil you with each of our sewing challenges.

Rascol is giving away a Necchi NC-204D sewing machine.

The daughter of the Cordeliers

Fanny and Emma have a passion for vintage jewelry and, with Fille des Cordeliers, offer a cutting-edge and highly desirable selection of designer jewelry and accessories.

We collaborated for the shooting of the Le Rivage and L'Oeil Fauve collections this winter. A portrait is dedicated to them in this issue.

The Daughter of the Cordeliers is putting into play a magnificent brooch to be chosen from the selection proposed by Fanny and Emma.

Odore Scola

The perfume house Odore Scola is a privileged partner for Maison Fauve. We had the opportunity to collaborate for the Pompon vest competition, and we have always received a lot of support and kindness from them. It is hand in hand with their team that we created our perfume Les Fleurs Fauve.

Odore Scola is bringing together a set of spring scents: the Alabaster scented candle and the Rosarium home fragrance.

Britney Pompadour

Maÿlïs is the sparkling creator of the embroidery kit brand, and I love her joyful and fantasy-filled world. We had collaborated on a pattern for the Ballets Russes collection, and her pretty flowers had embellished my sewing.

Britney Pompadour is giving away an embroidery kit and a pretty sew-on patch.

FivePoints

Cinq Points creates activities, cultural games and creative souvenirs to collect. I am lucky to be friends with Laurence, the founder and artistic director of Cinq Points, and you were able to discover this lovely brand with us during the Pompon sewing challenge.

Cinq Points offers you the chance to win the 7 Iconic Women families game , a fun invitation to (re)discover some of the female artistic figures who have marked the history of 20th century arts.

Zeta

Zéta is a zero waste and committed sneaker brand founded by Laure Babin in 2020. I discovered Laure and her brand in an interview on Adrien Garcia's podcast The Bold Way, and I loved her energy and Zéta's values. I was working on the Empire State Of Fauve collection at the time, and her sneakers were just perfect to complete the outfits of this urban chic collection both in their style and in the range of colors offered. I contacted Laure who was excited about the project, and we took wonderful photos wearing Zéta shoes!

For our 10th anniversary, Zéta is offering a pair of sneakers of your choice from those in stock on their site.

Fauve House

At Maison Fauve, we are offering 2 prizes, each including a €100 gift voucher and a bottle of Les Fleurs Fauve eau de parfum.

Competition Terms and Conditions

The competition is only held on Instagram. The conditions of participation are:

• Like the post announcing the competition, available on our Instagram account (publication of February 12, 2025)

• Post your Maison Fauve sewing

• Tell us in the caption of your post about your connection with Maison Fauve

• Identify and tag all the competition partners

• Use #10ansmaisonfauve so we can find your post

• In order for us to see your post, your profile must be public (otherwise it will be impossible to find you to count your participation)

• Subscribe to Maison Fauve Instagram accounts as well as those of all partners

You have never sewn a Maison Fauve pattern and you want to participate? No worries, you can definitely discover us on this occasion! At Maison Fauve, we have a selection of free PDF patterns: the Tilda blouse, the Pompon vest or the Tribeca blouse will be good playmates ;)

The contest runs from February 12 to March 12, 2025 midnight , and we will draw 2 participants. Each winner will win a prize (details of the prizes in the contest rules). The results will be announced on Monday, March 17 in stories, and on the contest post. The winners will also be contacted directly by message on Instagram.

The detailed rules of the competition and the details of the prizes are available in this PDF document which you can consult freely by clicking on this link .

Thank you for these 10 years!

Thank you a thousand times to all our partners for their trust, their generosity and their kindness. And thank you all, because it is your passion for sewing and your loyalty collection after collection that makes this beautiful adventure possible.
Good luck to all, I can't wait to read you!