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THE HEIMSTONE MAGAZINE +

OPINION | 05.04. 2023

NOT JUST A PRETTY PRINT

Determination, Creativity & Cashflow.
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HEIMSTONE.
I want to share with you one of the most intense, restless, and terrifying experiences of my life: entrepreneurship and my journey with Heimstone. I’m often asked how I started, how I got into fashion, and what I was doing before… So, I’ll tell you. But I’m also here to talk about the extraordinary experience and challenge of owning a business and what it has brought me on a personal level. Because yes, Heimstone has revealed who I am.
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CREATIVITY AS A PUNISHMENT

I grew up in a highly creative environment, with opportunities to travel extensively and spend a lot of time in art galleries and museums. My mother is an interior decorator who has always been self-employed, and my father worked in the advertising industry for many years before becoming the CEO of a large international company. Both have recently retired. As a child, I loved drawing, painting, knitting—I was captivated by colors, patterns, and fabrics, far beyond just fashion. School came relatively easily to me without much trouble. My twin sister and I attended a Catholic school in Paris, where blending in and going with the flow was the norm. We stood out, though—not only because we were twins, but because we were exceptionally tall! By our first year of high school, we were already 1.77 meters, towering over everyone, wearing size 41 shoes, and sporting blue shirts that marked us as first-years. I dreaded the start of each school year, worried that parents would think we were the two “big girls” who had repeated a grade. Throughout my school years, I felt it was best to keep a low profile. Being discreet came more naturally to me than to Caroline, who was much more outspoken.

A funny anecdote: Caroline was expelled in our fourth year after a teacher said, “After the rain comes fine weather,” and she, true to form, retorted, “Uh, no, not necessarily!” She insisted on her point—rightfully so—and three days later, she was expelled for insolence. After that, I became even more reserved, trying not to attract attention. This was when I really began to draw; it was my way of staying quietly engaged during class. Ironically, it eventually led to my own expulsion, with the clear reason given: “Spends more time drawing than listening to teachers.” Academically, I didn’t stand out, maintaining a modest average of 12, but I was always quietly sketching. What’s interesting is that my first real engagement with art and creativity was seen as a form of punishment—it wasn’t easy. After finishing my baccalauréat, I spent a year in a preparatory art class at the Atelier de Sèvres in Paris, as I initially wanted to follow in my mother’s footsteps and pursue a career in interior decoration or architecture, finally a dream that became true with the Casa Kece hous project.
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THE CHRYSALIS AND THE BUTTERFLY

That year in preparatory class was liberating. Everything seemed possible, from small-scale to XXL projects, and the open-ended nature of it all was exhilarating, even dizzying. It was during this time that I truly set myself free and discovered that my interests were veering more towards fashion than architecture. This curiosity led me to apply to both fashion and art schools. I ultimately chose Atelier Chardon-Savard because they accepted my application early, and they had a knitting workshop—a passion that my twin sister Caroline (@threesevenparis) and I had shared since childhood. I spent three years there, always arriving early and leaving late, with only one close friend, Martin. I studied fashion design and garment construction, which fascinated me and helped me understand the technical side of creating clothing. During my studies, I interned in press offices and with designers like Michel Klein, where I got my first job as a knitwear designer after graduating in June 2005. At the time, everything felt clear and straightforward, but starting my career at Michel Klein at just 22, I quickly realized I had a lot to learn about the fashion industry.

When I left fashion school, I realized I hadn’t acquired much practical knowledge beyond pattern-making. The curriculum focused heavily on sketching fashion silhouettes and creating a final-year collection, but I was missing essential skills like cost calculations, supplier negotiations, and production management. Despite this, my time at Atelier Chardon-Savard was valuable, and Michel Klein provided me with a real-world education. I worked across various aspects of the business—from production to creating technical files—and traveled often, including to India for production. At 22, I was eager and motivated, always looking to learn more. I even took advantage of lunch breaks to sit with the company’s graphic designer and learn design software, determined to match his expertise.
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TO BE DRIVEN BY INSTINCT

After 10 months with Michel Klein, in May 2006, I began to feel like I was going in circles for various reasons. Deep down, I knew I needed to move forward and do something bigger. I needed to test myself, to take a leap. To be honest, I didn't "need" it, but I felt a strong desire to dive into the unknown, attracted like a magnet to what I had yet to discover. the n ext morning I decided to launch a small collection of accessories for the upcoming summer. That was when the seed was planted. By early June 2006, I  began working on our accessory collection—necklaces and bracelets made from industrial bolts. By the end of June, what started as accessories had evolved into a swimsuit collection, and on July 12th, I resigned from Michel Klein. In early August, I found myself in St. Tropez, free as bird, walking along the beaches of Pampelonne with my "Heim" swimsuits. I carried baskets over my shoulders, selling our first models to any girls I encountered. Our swimsuit concept was innovative: I had developed a seamless pattern for the top and bottom, with the swimsuits needing only to be tied. Instead of pearls, we used industrial bolts as our trademark. Most importantly, each piece was unique because they were all cut from vintage XXL "rock" t-shirts, so someone might end up with Michael Jackson or AC/DC on the back.

By the end of the summer, I had sold over 600 pieces and decided to officially launch my brand, this time with a ready-to-wear focus. For us, it was clear. Everything seemed obvious.I wanted the brand to stand out and give girls a compelling reason to come to "Heim." So, I decided that Heim would exclusively sell dresses—dresses for all occasions: office wear, Sunday outfits, formal and casual dresses. Nothing but dresses, designed to be as easy to wear as jeans, complete with pockets. From September to December 2006, I worked on developing some designs and traveled back and forth to India to produce our first collection, which I financed with the proceeds from the swimsuit sales. My goal was to be ready to present our first "Heimstone" collection, AW07/08, in January 2007 during the shows. In the meantime, I changed the name because I felt that "Heim" was too cute and feminine, while "Stone" added a sense of grounding and determination. I calculated that I needed to sell 360 dresses to cover our expenses. I can still remember that I ended up selling 1,300 items! At 22  years old I felt like I was on the highway to success.

THE SINEWS OF WAR

The success of first season filled us with overwhelming joy, giving us incredible strength and confidence. However, we hadn't anticipated a major problem: how could we finance the production of 1,300 pieces? We never imagined we could face bankruptcy because we had sold three times more than planned! We were suddenly confronted with the reality of what I now consider the key to a healthy business: cash flow and working capital requirements.

We opened our Heimstone store in October 2007 at 23 rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris. Suddenly, costs were soaring: we needed management software, we were selling wholesale worldwide, and we had to establish the brand in all these countries. At every level, money was tied up: we bought too much, had excessive material stocks, our margins weren't large enough, wholesale customers paid us with a six-month delay, while our factories demanded payment before unloading the trucks. Cash flow is a vicious circle; once you're in the eye of the storm, it's very difficult to escape.That's when my father became involved in the company, first as a mentor, and very quickly as an investor to support our launch. Managing cash flow became the biggest challenge of my career. When you have your own brand, the reality is: you spend 20% of your time doing what you love, and the remaining 80% fixing problems.


What's truly extraordinary to me is that when I look back now, 12 years ago, at all the ups and downs that shaped Heimstone and all the doubts I had, neither my parents nor anyone in my family ever gave up or suggested I should move on to something else. That support is worth more than anything in the world.
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SAVED BY DETERMINATION

With a fantastic team, including problem-solver Jehanne De Wavrechin, I woke up stronger each day, driven by the belief that Heimstone’s success depended on my energy, work, and problem-solving skills. I embraced the freedom to tackle challenges, arriving at the office early and methodically addressing each issue. I took on tasks like accounting and supplier management, quickly mastering them but still chasing profitability. The experience boosted my confidence and taught me the true meaning of effort. Despite the stress, I maintained my well-being with daily runs and Thai massages, celebrating every small victory. Reflecting on those first seven years, it feels like a different life, filled with constant learning and adaptation. I’m still thinking of my husband, Onur, who has had his own companies since 2007 (Found and The Refreshment Club), who told me he wanted to write a book about entrepreneurship that would call "The art of fucking".

Chapter 1: The art of getting fucked
Chapter 2: Learning how to fuck
Chapter 3: The art of fucking

I think it’s hilarious, because in a way, it’s exactly the way it is…
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GET UP BY CREATIVITY

Starting over from scratch is extraordinary, allowing us to rethink and redefine everything, but with five years of intense experience. I needed to rewrite the story, starting with a big cleanup to free myself from middlemen, banks, accountants, and part of my team. I don't denigrate these people who supported me, but I needed a fresh start with new people. We went from seven to three. We launched a mini production just for our shop, reducing our production costs by three. I cut all possible costs, with transportation costs dropping by 70%. It was such a relief! 

We opened a second shop rue Cambon and launched our own e-shop. The e-commerce became our international shop and showroom, working well immediately. In July 2014, we sold the rue Cambon shop to focus on our e-shop and the rue du Cherche-midi shop. Since then, we've been totally self-financed, free, and profitable. For nothing in the world would I change Heimstone's story.

HEIMSTONE TODAY AND TOMORROW

Today, our approach at Heimstone is straightforward: we create capsule collections based on the current weather rather than traditional seasons. This shift has allowed us to expand our collections and dedicate more time to the creative process, increasing numbers of prints and textiles development. Simplifying our business model has also freed me up to explore other projects beyond Heimstone. I now have the flexibility to collaborate with other brands or work on “off” projects—like designing wallpapers or set designs for stores—without directly involving Heimstone. 

Additionally, this freedom has enabled me to focus on our journal Apero, which is close to my heart, but also join my husband disruptive communication and strategic agency, The Refreshment Club, as a partner and Design Director, where we help brands on different levels but also implement workflows and visual campaugns through AI.
I will write a dedicated article and reveal interviews around digital innovations and AI in the coming weeks.
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Determination.
Adaptability.
Celebrating every victory.
Rest is crucial.
Cash flow is critical. 
Focus on cutting unnecessary expenses and prioritize results over revenue to ensure true freedom.
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