Florence Durand-Fernandes didn't think she had an entrepreneurial streak. But two years ago, at the age of 23, she became the owner of the second-hand store La Belle Saison in downtown Trois-Rivières.
This opportunity came to him on a silver platter.
“Before, it was the PURR VNTG here. I worked there for three years. Then, in 2022, it closed. The owners offered to buy the store. I was really excited about it, so I took part and took the opportunity to design the store in my colors,” says Florence Durand-Fernandes.
As a teenager, she was primarily inspired by theater until she studied at a professional theater school. She returned to Trois-Rivières shortly before the pandemic. At this point she started working at PURR VNTG and studying fashion design.
“I was given more and more responsibility, so I ran the store a lot. I was also asked to look for stock elsewhere. By staying straight to the source, I saw what customers were asking for and what they liked to see, she adds. Studying fashion design allowed me to develop a little entrepreneurial streak that I didn't know I had. I imagined opening my own boutique offering styling services, but let's just say it happened sooner than I thought. But I couldn't pass up this offer. It was apparently fate. »
And then it must be said that Florence Durand-Fernandes cares about the values of circular fashion – or slow fashion.
“Fashion trends are cyclical. I also studied the fashion industry's impact on the environment. It is one of the most polluting industries in the world. As much as I love fashion, I also see how harmful it can be, notes the now 25-year-old entrepreneur. However, we have so much clothing on Earth that we have enough to clothe the next six generations without producing new clothing. With my store I want to encourage people to realize that there are really beautiful second-hand clothes out there. In addition, it is often of better quality than today's clothing, which is made in the spirit of fast fashion. My goal is to sell so that it lasts a long time. »
“I like to go searching for treasures everywhere and bring back beautiful pieces that people can reuse and are happy to give back,” she continues. I picked up most of what was in the store. I pay particular attention to warm, bright colors and fabrics. I also pay attention to the seams to ensure they are in good condition.
In addition to clothes, she likes to bring small vintage objects that are offered for sale in the store: cassettes with cult films, tableware, accessories, etc. The boutique on Rue Notre-Dame Center also sells the products of about ten Quebec artists offered.
(Photo Marie-Eve Alarie)
Thrift store styling services
Since taking over thrift store La Belle Saison, Florence Durand-Fernandes has launched a personalized styling service in-store.
“People like to get a little advice on how to arrange their finds. By opening my shop, I can offer more customer services because I feel freer. I know what I can offer. The offering of styling services in thrift stores is still quite marginal in Quebec. We often associate styling with something rich or something far from ourselves. I recently had the opportunity to offer it to a client. She explained to me what she was looking for, what her style is and her lifestyle. Then she gave me carte blanche. I was able to suggest arrangements to him. »
“Personally, fashion helped me a lot during my studies. When I started working here I was able to develop myself and my identity and feel more like myself and more comfortable in what I wear. I wanted to be able to offer this to others, to try things out differently, to get out of their comfort zone and see what suits them. »
He also sometimes rents clothing to theater groups for certain productions.
A great season to develop
Florence Durand-Fernandes has no shortage of ideas for the further development of the second-hand store in 2024. In addition to continuing her in-store styling service, she wants to improve the online store La Belle Saison and do small sewing projects with fabrics she has made herself that can be recovered to transform them into bags or headbands, for example.
“I also have some items with the image of La Belle Saison in the store and I would like to use used clothing that I could print myself to spread the image of La Belle Saison. I also want to push the styling department further and show more. I really want to develop customer service further. »
“Buying La Belle Saison took me out of my comfort zone, but I work for the job that I love and I can put as much time and energy into it as I want,” she concludes.