Last year, in October, Marin and I conducted our first interview in French, which is actually my favourite language.
We used to talk about Pompon Cucu, her first brand dedicated to the little ones, but in the meantime, she also created Pompon Ciel, for adults, and I thought that our first interview deserved a version in English so that all the women in my community could be inspired by the creativity and the sublime aesthetic universe that Marin Guérinat embraces. Not only does she create the most beautiful hats and accessories, but she also infuses visuals with such originality and beauty.
You are already aware of my passion for handcrafted, limited-edition products that tell a unique story and embody impeccable taste. And Marin’s brands, Pompon Cucu and Pompon Ciel, are no exception.
You have to be ready for an invitation into a magical universe where the sailor hat meets incredible French style.
1. Pompon Cucu with @fishandkids; 2. Marin and her family; 3. Pompon Cucu with @cover.edition; 5. Marin with with @heleneredolfi for @milk_magazine; 6. Pompon Cucu with @akami__n
Who is Marin Guérinat?
I am a woman in my thirties, living in Paris with my partner and our 4-year-old son. I spent my childhood in a small town and a country house, where I could daydream and get bored, which helped shape the mind I have today. I’ve always needed to dream, to imagine, to feel. But today, I love and need the overflowing energy of Paris.
When you were six, your parents enrolled you in the Fine Arts. How did this experience enrich your life?
It allowed me to discover my first passion. The colours, smells, ambience, and opportunity to learn while having fun were all captivating.
You want your first passion, with all the childhood excitement, to last forever, and it did. I carried it through my childhood and adolescence, and it followed me in my choice of studies and throughout the rest of my life with this desire to use my hands.
This experience brought me face-to-face with my first love: creating.
What does a working day look like for you?
Like many professions today, a Pompon Cucu day starts with reading emails, always with the same Milky Blue teacup in my office, facing several rows of overlapping buildings. I love this view! This view instantly immerses me in the city while allowing me to maintain a comfortable distance within my cocoon.
Then, I use my hands to work (sewing, drawing, writing), and that’s when the day really begins for me 😄.
The sailor hat is the flagship product of your accessories. Tell me a little more about this choice.
I’ve always had a strong attraction to the nautical world, especially the sailor suit. I love looking at photos of children from the early last century, all dressed up in their little sailor outfits.
When I had my little boy, I found the reference to the sailor suit to be particularly obvious, and I wanted to move beyond the trend of little cars, animals, or dinosaurs. So, I quickly made him his first sailor hat.
In a society where people continue to appreciate low-quality products and in a world of mass-produced items, where superficiality is the norm, not the exception, what motivated you to choose this approach: creating a business that embraces these three qualities: ethics, sustainability, and slow, premium fashion?
First of all, I love that my work is as hands-on as possible. I enjoy doing things with my hands, slowly and delicately, with passion, rather than relying solely on screens, numbers, or receiving goods.
Simply put, "consuming well" today must begin with "producing well."
If we do not make it available to consumers, they will be unable to purchase it. It is a virtuous circle. Despite our small size in compared to mass-producing giants, consumer demand and desire allow us to expand slowly but consistently.
Fashion is often considered frivolous. In your opinion, what is the main function of clothing, beyond covering our bodies?
Clothing is part of our daily life, and just that alone gives it a very important place.
It allows us to show a part of ourselves, to present ourselves to the world at first glance (even if it’s not necessarily accurate, of course).
It can brighten the day or sometimes symbolise a moment in life or a particular instant. I love wearing a piece of clothing that I’ve worn during a happy moment.
It gives me extra energy, reminds me of that moment, and instantly puts me in a positive mood. Clothing has something truly precious about it, which I feel is not in line with fast fashion.
And that’s exactly how I see Pompon Cucu hats. I would like them to symbolise childhood moments and memories. This will allow you to look back on them in photos 10, 20, or 30 years later with a sense of nostalgia, as they will serve as a reminder of a specific time in your life.
Or to keep them as decoration in a room, especially the birthday hat, to remember that precious moment.
You are both a mother and an entrepreneur. In juggling these two responsibilities, how do you find the right balance?
Like in any independent profession, it can sometimes give me more time or take even more away. I try to include him in the world of Pompon Cucu, letting him participate in his own way, trying on models, giving his opinion, choosing fabrics, or even sometimes sewing together.
This way, he can see his mom’s work as something fun and more easily accept the time I dedicate to it.
I am fascinated by the beauty and the effortlessly chic style of French women. How do you manage to cultivate this incredible style of being both feminine and masculine, stunning and natural at the same time?
French fashion and the mindset of women here have instilled this feminine-masculine side in us for generations.
We've had Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, who introduced trousers and suit jackets to women's wardrobes. We've also had ladies like Simone de Beauvoir and Françoise Sagan who passed along views about women's liberation.
The mix of our fashion and culture over generations brings us to the image of this French woman, rebellious and nonchalant, who perfectly embodies the effortlessly chic, masculine-feminine style.
Can you tell me a bit more about your rituals and routines and how you cultivate the art of living well?
Rituals are reassuring, and if you pair them with something you love, then it’s pure happiness! Why deny yourself the opportunity to start the day well?
Good bread with a crunchy crust and a crumb that reminds you of the softness of the bed you just left is incredibly energising for that first waking moment. In our little family, we spread raspberry jam that my mother makes at the end of the summer to last all year.
I read the interview for Milk Magazine, and I have to say, I’m in love with your apartment. In fact, I adore French apartments and houses. French apartments and houses truly exude a certain je ne sais quoi, embodying a style that is both simple and exquisite. Can you tell me a bit more about your apartment and the years you spent working as an interior designer?
We’ve moved a lot over the past ten years—about five times since 2014. So the most important thing is to have objects and furniture that carry sentimental value so you feel at home wherever you are.
We give them a new place with each move. Depending on the light, the space, and the layout of the apartment, an object will find its place differently.
Before Pompon Cucu, I worked in designing children’s rooms. Otto has had two rooms so far in his life, and it’s a place where I have fun, because it has to be fun, and with the child’s age evolving, it’s amazing to create different worlds for him to play, rest, and dream in.
📷: Marine Guérinat
