All posts by Rae Daniels-Henderson

People

Citron à Paillettes: All of Us Together

Story by Rae Daniels-Henderson
Photos by Elizabeth Coleman

Amid the rows of garmets and accessories, you’ll find a cotton-stuffed Camargue. Creatively made by designer Christine Hector, these plush companions represent many of the wild-life beloved in the regional natural park.

From the street, Citron à Paillettes blends into the facades of the Arles downtown. But once you enter the petite boutique you’re teleported into a world of color and creativity, awe and wonder. Stuffed pink flamingos fill a shelf. Bookmarks, handbags, book jackets and headbands of every color cover one wall and a photo exhibit covers another. It’s easy to tell at a glance that this is a store like no other.  

In fact, Citron à Paillettes stands out among boutiques because of its unusual business model: the people working there are also the designers and creators of the goods sold within.

Citron à Paillettes is run by a collective of nine fashion designers from different parts of the South of France who bring their own diverse backgrounds to their work. They create works of wonder, from the one-of-a-kind flamingoes, handcrafted jewelry made by a mother-daughter duo, handbags and book covers made exclusively from Japanese fabric, to feminine floral yet comfortable pieces made by the founder herself, Audrey Sigovic-Garcia. 

Patricia Romance loves accessories. In an effort to limit waste of her materials, Romance has found creative ways to use every piece of fabric. She designs a diverse line of accessories and personal goods from handbags, scarves and hats to book marks, book covers and coin purses.

“I can be inside on a rainy day, have random objects and string and I will create a necklace,” says Sigovic-Garcia. Her eyes light up as she smiles and explains that she likes creating with her hands. She presses them together palm side up and motions with them to demonstrate.

Sigovic-Garcia has been creating for as long as she can remember. She is a fashion designer, but has also worked as a project designer. Sigovic-Garcia’s clothing line is strategically named, “La Rose à Pois,” (the Polka Dot Rose). Her apparel embodies that spirit: a bold and vibrant mixing of floral and dotted or striped patterns with very feminine cuts and romantic flowy sleeves. 

The store is home to a rainbow of colors creating a bright and welcoming environment for anyone looking to bring a bold twist into their wardrobe.

Sigovic-Garcia’s ready-to-wear line inspired by post-war dress, Victorian Silhouettes and Asian perfumes is crafted from her home. She needed to find a way to reach customers to sell her designs, so she assembled a collective of talented fashion designers she bonded with over the years to have a center where eight others can share and sell their creations with the Arlesian community in a “creators space” becoming Citron à Paillettes, which in English means “Glitter Lemon.” The original space was only a few streets down but was damaged during the flood in 2003. The collective has been in the current location for 20 years now. 

During my first visit to Citron à Paillettes, I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Deveaux. I stopped and was admiring a beautiful blue, white and black floral top when he explained to me that he made it himself, “I created all of these.” He motioned to his specific section of the store displaying his other colorful dresses, skirts, and blouses. Deveaux, owner of  Sur les Traces d’un Nomade, started sewing 25 years ago “out of frustration because his arms were too long,” and has been making beautiful clothes ever since.

The flamingoes lining the walls find new homes around the world. Customers send photos of their flamingo to designer Christine Hector for her to add to a map with push pins tracking where in the world her flamingoes have travelled.

All of the designers create their pieces then bring them to the boutique to sell, they all take shifts at the store. With each visit I got to meet someone new, like Patricia Romance. 

Romance originally attended fashion school for apparel making, but found more joy in making accessories, “I love accessories and was a fan at the beginning, then I started making my own and just stayed there.” With Japanese floral fabrics, Romance makes elegant and timeless things like purses, book covers, and headbands without any trend in mind. Her brand is made from what inspires her. When Romance has no need for excess fabric she gives it to Idée du Jour’s creator Christine Hector. 

The 9 designers of Citron à Paillettes dedicate themselves to their craft creating intricate and delicate treasures for anyone.

Hector has known Sigovic-Garcia for 17 years. Before coming back to Arles she worked as a stylist in Paris. Hector goes back to Paris to teach sewing classes at three schools; ESMOD, CREAPOLE, and MODE ESTAH.  When she is not teaching, she creates her one-of-a kind decorative flamingos.

She documents each one’s destination by placing a push pin on a map at home. Hector utilizes anything that she finds to bring these majestic Camargue natives to life. When I asked about the different types of materials she used, her face lit up. She said that she found an abandoned vacuum cleaner in her neighborhood and made that into a flamingo and it now resides in her home. 

 The way that this collective has maintained their business for so long is by being “imaginative” enough and collaborating to create new moods for the store throughout the seasons. They were fortunate enough to not be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic or rent spikes, unlike many small stores worldwide.

The story has built a loyal clientele. “I create the clothes so that women feel beautiful and comfortable within themselves,” Sigovic-Garcia said.

Inspired by Japanese textiles, many of the designers in Citron à Paillettes share their fabrics to remain eco-conscious and limit waste. This collaboration also creates a beautifully curated and cohesive style within the store.
People, Postcards

Finding Home in a Foreign Land

By Rae Daniels-Henderson

Coming to France for the first time, I felt anxiety about how my four-week experience was going to play out. My terrible French speaking skills and American caricatures of the French people as stuck-up and impatient weighed very heavily on my chest.

I am the first in my family to travel abroad, let alone study abroad for a month. My fear of the unknown and my family’s fear of me traveling for so long added stress I didn’t realize I had until I arrived in Arles. 

But I have sighed my biggest ever mental sigh of relief because I have actually found a sense of home in Arles. 

Our first day in Arles, when my classmate, Judas, and I got lunch, I fumbled my words asking for a bottle of water. I soon became extremely embarrassed but was immediately put at ease when the server gave me an impromptu French lesson, pointing and translating with the warmest smile almost as if she was doing this to include me so I could better understand the culture.

That felt like my official welcome into this small community that has had iconic moments of history, including long visits from famous artists Paul Gaugin, Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh, and that was even a provincial capital of ancient Rome. 

A few days after that experience, the group was asked by Katie Thornton, the director at our language school, if we noticed any differences between our families at home and our host families. I realized I genuinely could not think of anything.

Dinners with my host family have been most recently on the patio during warm evenings with a musky yet sweet-scented incense burning to repel mosquitoes. That resembles my life back home with aromatic incense filling my dining and living room with an added sense of warmth. Both at home and in Arles everyone enjoys a meal, loud laughter, reminiscing, sharing stories and then breaking out into dance or the occasional funny-face exchange among siblings. 

I had already felt a sense of familiarity with my host mother, Françoise Meyer-Gardeur. But when she sat me and my other housemates from the program down one day and asked if we were comfortable with her, I realized she reminded me of my mother. The way that they both instill the courage in you to speak up to them about any concern, the showing of mutual respect to their children, and the genuine love, admiration and warmth that radiates from them are like the sun illuminating and bringing life to everything it touches.

My supportive Arlesian home on rue Jean Granaud has become my base to recharge and has given me confidence to explore more every day.

Even though I have been here for two weeks I now stop and occasionally have friendly conversations with people of this small community. Just as back home, I speak to people I see every day about their husbands, approaching traveling plans or even updates on pets. I have also experienced pleasant nods followed by a small smile and even little “Bonjours” if I accidentally lock eyes with someone while passing by on the street.

Apparently, I am getting a special welcome, because when I recount these interactions to my hosts, I get surprised and puzzled reactions. 

When my time comes to leave, I will miss this place immensely. I am grateful for the beaming Arlesian sun melting away my hesitation and fears, while I embrace it and all of its light and guidance through these cobblestone streets.