In Sainte-Maxime, this young designer will launch her brand of eco-responsible swimwear

In her modest workshop located on the corner of Avenue Jean Jaurès, Coline Provensal works silently. Only the hammering of her sewing machine needle disturbs her tranquility. Around her, spools of pink thread, pins, scissors, miniature busts, and other materials invade her workspace. " Even if I sometimes get distracted, I try to stay focused on the launch date of my project. I have a few weeks left to be operational ," she stresses. On June 8, this 22-year-old Maximoise will unveil the first collection of her reversible swimwear brand, Baisers Ensoleillés, during a fashion show planned for the beach at the Casino Barrière Sainte-Maxime.

First enriching experiences

A bold bet for this young fashion designer who aims to promote French but above all local know-how! " I have always been manual and creative. During my childhood, I already enjoyed helping my grandmother to mend a few pieces of our wardrobes , she recalls. Everything accelerated during the first lockdown when I bought my overlocker to create my own clothes and accessories. I started with imitation leather kits then I set about making a first swimsuit with the tulle train of my old dance skirt."

Although the apprentice stylist undertook her first projects as an autodidact, she quickly chose to perfect her skills in the field by joining a specialist school in Lyon, just after obtaining her baccalaureate in 2020.

For three years, the student discovered the profession in all its forms. From imagining a prototype to putting it on the shelves. From recognizing the feel of a fabric to its use. " It was there that I defined my first patterns. I designed several pieces, such as a tweed skirt, and orchestrated several fashion shows with my classmates. Thanks to his experience, I was able to land an internship with Nicolas Fafiotte, a famous wedding dress designer from Lyon. He also collaborated for several years with the Miss France company. This opportunity allowed me to refine my embroidery technique and improve each of my finishes," she explains.

With her bachelor's degree in pattern making and fashion design under her belt, Coline embarked on a new opportunity, a complete departure from her previous one, by joining the Rondini family's Tropezian sandal factory in Saint-Tropez. After a few days as a sales associate, the craftswoman joined the workshop and began working with yet another material: leather. " All these encounters shaped my experience. "

French and eco-responsible jerseys

With her seasonal contract ending in the fall of 2024, Coline Provensal is embarking full-time on the challenge of her life: creating her own swimwear brand.

" I've always secretly dreamed of it... ," she enthuses. "I love lingerie, small embroideries and other features that enhance a woman's body. I've always wanted to create pieces for them. For all bodies and all ages. Each model also bears the first name of a woman who inspires me, from my grandmothers to the iconic Jane Birkin. For this first collection, I created four, two one-piece and the other half in two pieces to satisfy as many people as possible. They are all adjustable thanks to the different knots that I inserted and will be available in three sizes: S, M and L."

This is an opportunity for the self-employed entrepreneur to combine her sewing skills with her creativity by offering items made entirely from recycled and recyclable polyamide. She purchases this reclaimed synthetic material from an Italian supplier, world-renowned for the quality of its fabric.

" I encourage exchanges with European professionals. I don't want to fall into fast fashion... I prefer to produce in small quantities but with sustainable and high-quality materials. In addition to importing the fabric, the production is 100% French and even from Maxime ," teases the Varoise.

And for good reason, the designer sewed her creations alone, also relying on the patterns she had previously drawn.

" Between the cutting, the assembly, and the finishing touches... I spend several hours making them. I've already made more than twenty of them, and I hope to offer around fifty after the launch. They will first be available on the brand's social media and potentially on beaches at La Nartelle. I'm still in discussions with some of the managers. I hope this selection will be the first of a very long series! "

Price of swimsuits: 150 euros for two-pieces and 175 euros for one-pieces.