INTERVIEW MONDAY COMME BONJOUR

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You know you can update your childrens wardrobe the easy way? With adorable bow ties and button accessories that will add a new look to every outfit.

Time for an interview with the founders of the French brand Comme Bonjour.

Would you mind introducing yourself and your brand to our readers?

Bonjour! We are Ali and Magali and creators of the brand Comme Bonjour our brand dedicated to the world of childhood.

We see childhood not as an age but as a state of mind and are committed to the quality of our creations as such we are proud to offer designs that are 100% made in France.

Comme Bonjour is a craft manufactured by looking at Paris.

What was your background prior to starting Comme Bonjour?

Art studies for the one, literature for the other. We are both curious, interested in various fields and we have worked in graphic design, communication and design before to take the plunge…



How did you develop your skills as a designer?

The curiosity and the desire to continue learning.

We like the challenge of an idea, and we work constantly to shape it and finally when ready we go and meet craftsmen and suppliers to understand their work processes.

At what age did you first notice fashion around you?

At about seven or eight, when I began to want the same clothes as the friends… Ah yes!? It seems that I am always late… About the adolescence I believe. But the question is sensitive… (smile)

What sort of clothes and or accessories did you enjoy wearing as a child and what did you hate wearing?

Magali- I loved wearing pull-overs and cardigans that my mother knitted for me because they were soft and warm, and also dresses “that spin”, satin bows in the hair. But I hated pink trousers and believe me, I had a lot of them!

Ali- Ah, the new clothes, no matter the cut and the colour. Why ? Because I hated wearing the clothes of my older brother when he was my age.

Why did you decide to create Comme Bonjour? And where does the name of your brand come from?

We wanted to offer beautiful and original products, products we would like to find in the shops. We desired for evidence and a smile! The name of our brand comes from a French expression “Simple comme bonjour”. The simplicity, far from being a shortcut of thought, is, according to us, a value that hides the complexity of what is beautiful and good, in you, in us and all around.

Can you tell us a bit more about your very first designs?

The Cuirly are leather accessories to be buttoned up. Very easy to use, they are intended to fancy up clothes or other supports (bags, pencil cases,… in short, everything that has a button), to express your mood, to make you want to smile. We offer different collections.



The bow ties are timeless and for any occasion, but especially for the GREAT occasions. Bow ties have been around quite some time and come in various systems (to be tied, with elastics or clips…). We believe that a bow tie that has to be buttoned up is a funny way to be stylish.

And, here’s a little secret : we are currently working, among others, on a collection of bow ties that take the concept a step further… We promise that we will keep you up-to-date.

Bow tie by Comme Bonjour, T-shirt by Soft Gallery via Orange Mayonnaise.

The collection of hearts and Sheriff’s stars : it seemed inevitable for us to draw them. Also the the flowers (which we have not published yet because we can not stop redrawing them, correcting a curve, adding a petal, etc … but that will come).



Then there is the small collection of animals. We wanted to use the button not only as a fastening element for the accessory but also as a support for the eye stickers which come in three moods (the grumpy eye, the tired eye and the happy eye).

It makes us laugh to see these little creatures looking at our world. Ali also says to have seen them winking. Sure I saw them! Anyway we love them. We made a lot of drawings before ending at this result.

Behind the simplicity of the concept, there is also the constraint of the accessory’s size (approximately 6 x 6 cm), the plain u and the allowed location for the button which should not hamper the appearance of the accessory once worn. It is a very small dimensions support, so everything relies on the drawing of the shape. And to end, a scoop: our last collection will be published soon (very soon). It is an tribute to Paris. We really love this city.

How does it feel to see a child wearing the Cuirly?

It could be summed up by: “Wow! Hahaha!! “.

Seriously, we are very proud and love seeing children having fun with our Cuirly, buttoning them, exchanging them. So what else can we say when we make clothes ;-)

What do you love most about your job?

To take seriously the simplicity and to have fun with what is serious. And we love drawing.

What is your greatest strength?

My great pencil sharpener that never dulls..

What is your greatest weakness?

Magali – Time management … Too many things we would like to do, and the days last only 24 hours!!

Ali – You really should listen to me by now, I promise you that there are some nice places in the North Pole. Really, a day of six months, that’s great ! We should migrate there the next summer solstice ;-)

In terms of kids fashion, do you think “less is more” or should children be able to wear everything they want?
Magali- “Less is more”. We like natural materials, simple cuts. But we know that unfortunately the children love the Superman lycra costume…

Ali- You’ve just given me an idea, to make replica bodysuits, those of superheros, but knitted…

If one of our readers is in your city, which is, for 24 hours. What things would you recommend they do?

White shirt with ankers by Soft Gallery. Green dress by April Showers by Polder, both via Orange Mayonnaise.

Button accessory by Comme Bonjour.



Dress by Kidscase via Orange Mayonnaise. Bowtie by Comme Bonjour.

Dress by Little Remix via Orange Mayonnaise. Button accessory by Comme Bonjour.

Clothes by Kidscase, Little Remix, Soft Gallery, April Showers all via the webshop www.orangemayonnaise.com

Photo’s taken by Evelyne Photography – www.evelynephotography.com – for Comme Bonjour.

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For the original post, see Les Enfants a Paris blog