In 2023, Sophie Engster, General Manager of Chamberlan, opened La Chambre Concept Store in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. This innovative and inspiring space is entirely dedicated to sustainable fashion, offering a selection of premium brands committed to ethical practices, aiming to promote a different vision of clothing.

Sustainable fashion in retail.

Accelerated in recent years by e-commerce platforms, sustainable fashion is increasingly developing in physical retail, especially through the emergence of numerous concept stores specializing in second-hand, made in France, rental, and more. This evolution allows retailers to create a closer bond with customers and to more advantageously highlight brand offerings. Being able to touch the pieces, know how they were made, with what materials and under what conditions, and talk with the sellers is undoubtedly a benefit to encourage virtuous practices. However, the path is not without obstacles. Sophie Engster explains.

How did La Chambre Concept Store come about?

After spending ten years at LVMH, in the marketing departments of Givenchy and Dior, I left in 2015 to create a brand called Chamberlan with my partner Franck Le Franc. I wanted to work on more responsible fashion by offering a made-to-order women’s shoe manufacturing model. We make customizable ready-to-wear and bespoke pieces. We have our own workshop in the Périgord, in Saint Martial de Valette. We have no stock, which avoids waste. We don’t have the issue of end-of-season sales to clear unsold items to produce again.

Very quickly, we noticed that customers were hearing about us in the press. That’s why we opened a concept store, which initially was just for Chamberlan. Shortly after, the idea of welcoming other brands sharing our values emerged. Brands that produce in France or Italy, and that engage in rental, second-hand, sustainability… We started with The Ethiquette. Today, our catalog includes The Kinsei Shop, MaisonCléo, Françoise, Bygone Days, Maitrepierre, Pallas Paris, Vintage Operandi, Nina Zamzem, Les Inconnus, Hypso, Treaptyque, Vaincourt, Mazarin, Petitjean, and Quintessence Paris.

Who are your customers? Are they eco-conscious?

I’d like to say they come for the circularity of our offerings. For now, it’s mainly because they like a piece. Style is very important. Positioning on made in France is not enough; you also need to build a real brand identity and have strong propositions. Our customers are, however, very happy to support responsible manufacturing. They are looking for an alternative way to shop. It’s not easy when most fashion is made in low-cost countries. When you want to shop responsibly, there’s not much originality. Mostly, these are very simple, basic clothes.

Many brands have entered this market, offering products made from natural fibers, but without producing locally. Isn’t this a form of greenwashing?

It is. Knowing that what pollutes the most in fashion is the energy consumed to manufacture and transport it, which is mostly carbon-based. Using natural fibers is only part of the equation. You also need to produce close to the consumer.

We pay great attention to the materials we use and offer. Alternative leathers, made from grapes or apples, are not as virtuous as one might think because they require a lot of petroleum to manufacture. That’s why we chose to stick with natural leather, French and Italian. Currently, we are working to improve our sourcing to reduce our impact. There’s a lot of work to be done to ensure that materials, fabrics, and resources are truly virtuous. It’s not always easy to sort out the true from the false.

Do you know the carbon footprint difference between what you offer and a non-ecological product?

No, but I’ve seen brands calculate the carbon energy cost and transportation of their products. We should do that. Another impact we can have is that we are currently working hard on the durability of our offerings, to go further and always do better. That’s where we all have a role to play. Producing in responsible conditions in France is a step in the right direction, but we must ensure that clothes or shoes last as long as possible and don’t wear out quickly. Brands should also be able to repair them locally, without having to send them across the world. That’s what Chamberlan does. Moreover, to reach more consumers, sustainable products must guarantee the same level of quality and comfort as standard products. That’s essential.

When we talk about ecology, there is often a punitive dimension, restricting, buying less, traveling less… shouldn’t we work on the desirability of sustainable products?

I think that’s very important. Young designers, those who are 25 or 30 years old, are part of this approach. Today, if responsible products are expensive, it’s important to know that margins are very low, whereas the most famous brands, those not in an ecological approach but with global reach, apply tenfold margins.

Is it a question of volume?

Yes, of course, but not only. Responsible manufacturing is more expensive. So it’s not possible to apply the same markup, or the prices would be too high. Our approach is to offer a coherent price. But obviously, we face fierce competition from what I call textile slaves, working for derisory wages and whom we never see. People on the other side of the world, paid a dollar a day, working 12 to 14 hours, six days a week. We need to educate consumers that a high price means fair compensation. No one is shocked when a mechanic earns 80 euros an hour…

To sell a virtuous, ecological, ethical garment, there is necessarily a price barrier. how can responsible fashion benefit the most people?

Opposite what we offer, there is dirt-cheap textile, which is very accessible, so many consumers buy it. In the past, not so long ago, people didn’t have as many clothes, so they could spend more on a piece. In the last 30 years, there has been a frenzy of consumption. We need to return to fairer and more responsible values. It’s not possible to continue over-consuming poor-quality products.

Should the solution come from the brands?

I think so. Because as long as this type of product is offered, there will be people to buy it. The problem is that many brands don’t want to give up their margins. There needs to be broader awareness, supported by real political will.

To change the situation, shouldn’t we also accelerate the reindustrialization of fashion? producing locally is a guarantee of sovereignty, quality, and less impact…

Indeed, but it’s all about cost. At the Chamberlan workshop, we have slightly old machines that are still very expensive. New machines are, meanwhile, prohibitively expensive. Reopening a workshop requires exorbitant investment. There’s a barrier to entry… Moreover, achieving profitability is very complicated. You have to be able to sell products at prices higher than average. So you need the right clientele.

Do you think the worsening climate change and resource depletion could boost second-hand?

Certainly. The time is for circularity. However, the base material must be of good quality. Some people go to Africa to search through clothing dumps, all that has been discarded in rich countries and ends up there. Today, 80% of these materials are unusable because they are of too poor quality, whereas previously, this figure was much lower. So, no one wants these clothes… They are torn, worn out, damaged. They are unsellable.

What are the upcoming projects for La Chambre?

We will host events much more regularly… Pop-ups to highlight other brands not available in our store but sharing our values. Furthermore, our catalog will expand with more accessible products, with new responsible, innovative, and inspiring brands. Soon, we will have all price ranges.