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ARE YOU HAPPY?

I am happy and proud of what we have created with La Maison de la Maille. Myself, Charlotte and the whole team share the same values, both from an ethical standpoint and on the essential contributions required to establish a luxury brand, and our uncompromising attachment to respect for nature and the quality of the product.

Since the brand was founded, our philosophy has been to create the finest wool blankets in the world, with absolute respect for the planet and the animals, while also promoting local know-how. Our mission is to keep you warm without warming the planet. This seems self-evident now, but ecology was not so fashionable when we started out. Our philosophy has not budged an inch and has never been dictated by communication concerns. We are a very long way from the green-washing that certain brands are involved in. The early years were difficult, because producing in France, in a responsible manner, without compromising on quality in any way, even with very small margins, obviously supposes a cost, sometimes difficult to get accepted when faced with less scrupulous competition. Nowadays consumers understand where the price difference comes from and, above all, they see the difference in quality. We are clearly not into the €2 synthetic throw produced who knows where. This can also be seen in our repurchase rate, which is huge. Our customers often find out about us when they want to buy a beautiful throw as a gift and then want to buy a throw for themselves, or vice versa. Some customers tell us that they have one of our throws to use at home, and another for travelling. Other customers want a La Maison de la Maille throw for every room in the house, from the lounge to the bedroom.

Rather than turning up the heating and warming up the planet a little more, or slowly wasting all your savings with increasing energy costs, it is a justifiable investment – not to mention, of course, one which provides pleasure.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT LA MAISON DE LA MAILLE ?

I have multiple roles. Taking photos is one of them, of course, but I also handle marketing, social media and looking out for new opportunities… In short, everything that goes hand in hand with our development and the building of the brand image. I have also donned the investor’s cap, and occasionally that of an alpaca shearer. I have a photo to prove it. OK, I have to admit that it was just a half-shearing, and I’m not sure that either the shearer or the alpaca will let me try again next year. Anyway, my time is fully occupied with photography, the agency and La Maison de la Maille, so I can probably leave this new vocation to one side for the time being. We have some really excellent products (Editor’s note: alpaca wool blankets, recycled wool blankets, merino wool blankets, merino wool shawls), but we still have a lot of work to do on the brand reputation. Still relatively few people know about us, and it’s frustrating to know that we could provide an excellent solution for many more people who feel the cold and don’t want to skimp on quality. Speaking about this, if you know any journalists, it would mean the world to me if you tell them to talk about us (you can tell them to contact me here).

LA MAISON DE LA MAILLE, MORE THAN JUST A JOB?

Of course. La Maison de la Maille is a moment to experience tenderness and authenticity. Perhaps also because it is a creation that revolves around well-being, for both humans and animals, and that makes everything more affectionate and appealing. The meetings and friendships we have created with the alpaca breeders, Axelle from Alpagas du Clos Tranquille and Christel from Alpagas de KerLa, go way beyond a simple professional relationship. They are already our extended family. We share the same goals, the same values and the same love and respect for the animals. There’s no doubt that these encounters are some of the most precious things in this adventure. Not to mention the fact that Charlotte thinks I will probably end up settling in the middle of a field of alpacas.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR?

My favorite project at the moment is the "Plaid Merveilleux", the Marvelous Throw. This collection is literally marvelous. Every Plaid Merveilleux is the annual wool production of a specific alpaca, which you choose from a photo, with its description, its character, its parents, and so on. When you buy a Plaid Merveilleux (the "Marvelous Throw" in French), you are creating a unique link between the animal and you, and you become a kind of adoptive parent, guardian angel, godfather/godmother, sugar-daddy, call it what you will, of an alpaca, the majority of which are every bit as good as vicuna wool in terms of their delicacy and their quality. People who buy Marvelous Throws can ask us for news about their alpaca, receive photos, and even – when I am there, because they still don’t have their own smartphone – video calls with their alpaca. They can also reserve throws for subsequent years from the same alpaca, on a Vintage basis. It’s our Haute-Couture collection of blankets, with items that are the height of luxury and absolutely unique.
And if you can’t decide between two alpacas, I am always here to offer advice.