Inside VIRGULE: The e-shop and webzine promoting sustainability through art
Featuring the sustainable creations of designers, illustrators, jewellers, and artists, the platform teaches us how to reduce the environmental impact of our fashion purchases
Photography Maxime Kastel
Why settle for a job that doesn’t match your interests, when you can launch your own independently-run business? That’s something we’ve learned chatting with Paris-based Romane Gayraud, founder and creator of V I R G U L E: an online platform selling customised second-hand garments with the goal of sparking constructive discussions around sustainability.
Launched in 2019, V I R G U L E is also a fast-growing, thriving community of creatives putting upcycling — the practice of giving unwanted materials a second life by turning them into ‘new’ products — at the core of their production. Through a series of interviews diving into each creator’s personal take on fashion, the French e-shop and webzine teaches us how to rethink our purchases.
So far, the list of young French talents and brands who have chosen to collaborate with the platform include designer Séverine Alarçon, illustrator Héloïse O’Meara, unisex design label AwwA Studio, bohémien-inspired jewelry collection Le Chamane, and London-based vintage shop Frankie..
Granting like-minded artisan and textile designers, illustrators, jewellers, and artists the opportunity to have their work featured on her platform, Gayraud hopes to prove that a more thoughtful and sustainable approach to fashion is not only desirable, but also feasible.
Below, we talk with V I R G U L E’s founder about the importance of connecting with other creatives, her platform’s mission, and her hopes and dreams for the post-pandemic era.
Hi Romane, how are you?
Romane Gayraud: I’m good, thanks, how about you?
Pretty good, it’s a pleasure to connect with you. Could you tell us anything about your background?
Romane Gayraud: Thanks so much for this opportunity, it’s great to speak to you. I was born in the South of France in 1995. We stayed in Montpellier until I was 5, when we relocated to the countryside of Brittany. Everything there was incredibly quiet and calm compared to what I had always been used to. As far as I remember, that’s when I first started to become interested in art. I needed something that kept me entertained, something that could foster my creativity.
I have never really liked going to school but, if there was something that I truly loved, that was art classes, so I decided to try and get into an Applied Arts High School. I passed the entry exam but it wasn’t what I was expecting, therefore I ended up finishing my Baccalaureate at another school. I studied Foreign Languages and Cinema/Theatre at a university level, yet I had to drop out because of mental issues I was dealing with at that time.
“Collaborating with people sharing my same values boosts my productivity while also improving the quality of my work. So far, it’s been truly inspiring.” — Romane Gayraud
Although it was completely different from what I was inclined to, I got my very first job at an emergency shelter, which helped me see the world from a different perspective. Right after that, I began to work as a freelancer and to sell vintage clothes on an online platform. It’s been just over a year now, but I have already managed to make a living out of those sales. Getting involved in second-hand fashion and other creative activities gave me the chance to embrace myself and my artistic side a lot more.
You’re the founder of V I R G U L E, an online platform merging fashion and sustainability with the promotion of young creatives. How did you come up with this concept and what sort of values does it stand for?
Romane Gayraud: I launched V I R G U L E in 2019 together with some friends of mine. Right now, it’s just me and Charlotte, the web designer that worked on the logo and set up our website. V I R G U L E is a sustainable e-shop where you can buy second-hand pieces of clothing I have personally customised through textile paint and embroidery. Besides that, you’ll find lots of photographs and interviews I’ve run with creatives I connected with and promoted on my page. So, whenever you visit my website or Instagram account, you won’t just see my own creations, but you’ll also discover those of dozens of other artists I draw inspiration from.
Photography Romane Gayraud
I have always dreamed of having a place where I could both express myself artistically and team up with other like-minded creators, whether it be photographers, visual artists, jewellers, designers, or musicians. The original idea behind it was giving visibility to those creatives whose work I loved. I like working on my own but I think that collaborating with people sharing my same values boosts my productivity while also improving the quality of what I make. So far, it’s been truly inspiring.
For me, inspiration is literally everywhere. If I feel the need to disconnect from the internet for a while, I love going to exhibitions and visiting art galleries here in Paris, or simply listening to some good music. Another key aspect of V I R G U L E is trying to discourage people from investing their money in fast fashion.
“Getting involved in second-hand fashion gave me the chance to embrace myself and my artistic side a lot more.” — Romane Gayraud
I stopped buying fast fashion garments years ago and I would love people to realise that not only purchasing second-hand clothing is fun and affordable; yet, it’s also way more creative. As the threat of climate change keeps putting at risk the future of the planet, it’s up to us to raise awareness of the environmental impact of fashion retail and do everything in our power to protect the Earth. My mission is to succeed in getting this message across through art.
Could you give us any insights into the cycle the second-hand items you work with go through before being sold on V I R G U L E?
Romane Gayraud: I collect all pieces of clothing you see on V I R G U L E from thrift shops, closely selecting the garments I’d like to customise. I find it really cool to be able to turn those unwanted clothes into something different and ‘new,’ it really feels like giving them a second life. You should all try and let your imagination run wild, it’s just like meditation to me! There are no real rules to get started, but you can watch YouTube tutorials if that helps you figure the whole process out, and there are lots of interesting things on Pinterest too.
I began to embroider clothes just trying to reproduce some of my drawings on fabric. To do so, I had to buy an embroidery hoop, some needles and threads. To paint my garments I use acrylic textile colours as well as Posca pens. There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ ways of approaching this kind of hobby, it’s all about experimenting with different typologies of fabric and customising techniques. You might fail at first, but trust me, most times you’ll be surprised looking at what you can get out of those old clothes.
Photography Romane Gayraud
How has your work changed since you’ve joined forces with other creatives? Can these collaborations facilitate the shift towards a more sustainable way of conceiving fashion?
Romane Gayraud: If you’re a freelancer, it’s really easy to feel lonely or disconnected from others, as you’re prevalently working from home. That’s something that I really didn’t like about my routine, something I knew I wanted to change. I truly enjoyed working with the people I have met on Instagram since the launch of V I R G U L E. We have done a few photo shoots in Paris where we promoted their creations and clothes to then sell those on my platform. That’s probably what I love the most about my job, having the opportunity to work with other talented young creatives towards the best possible result.
“It’s up to us to do everything in our power to protect the Earth. My mission is to succeed in getting this message across through art.” — Romane Gayraud
It’s beautiful to see that more and more photographers, artists, designers, and jewellers are approaching upcycled clothing and willing to learn more about it. It really gives platforms like V I R G U L E a wider scope while also amplifying their reach. I guess this is a unique opportunity to promote the vision and the sustainable alternatives that we — the generation called to deal with the climate disasters provoked by the negligence of our leaders — have come up with for the future of this planet.
Personally, I believe today’s youth to be much more aware of the ecological implications of fast fashion. From what I’ve seen, people of our age are already buying most of their clothing from second-hand shops so, hopefully, that will be something that will keep on growing bigger, setting an example for those who will come after us.
Photography Romane Gayraud
What kind of consequences has COVID-19 had on your small business? How are you keeping yourself busy during lockdown?
Romane Gayraud: Coronavirus has mostly impacted my creativity and the amount of stock I’ve managed to produce over the past few months. The thrift shops from where I normally retrieve all the garments I work with are closed right now. Plus, I can't meet up with any of the creators I had planned to collaborate with in real life nor shoot photographs outdoors, which is something that I love doing, especially now that I’ve got into film photography. I’m still selling stuff online but this year has definitely been quite complicated in terms of sales.
At the moment, I am about to start a new collaboration with @heloiseomeara, an illustrator with whom I’ll produce a serigraph, basically the rendition of a drawing created through a silk-screen printing process. I'm also studying for a certificate in web development which, if everything goes as planned, I’ll get in about a month. So despite not being allowed to ‘do much’ because of COVID-19 restrictions, I am still trying to be as productive as possible.
What are your hopes and wishes for the coming months?
Romane Gayraud: Just like everyone else, I hope we will manage to get rid of this pandemic quickly so that we can all return to a ‘normal life.’ If I think about it now, I really do miss going to parties, pubs, and concerts. Hopefully, it’s just a matter of time. I also hope that the fashion industry and governments in general will act responsibly to prevent any further damage to the Earth. If united, we can still make a change. In fact, while each of us can and must contribute towards a better future on their own, people need to understand that the only way to actually foster improvements is coming together in the fight against the climate emergency, nullifying our differences in favour of a more sustainable society.
Photography Romane Gayraud
