Interview with tomate d’epingles

Happy Monday everyone! It's the start of a new week...and Mondays are usually the worst day of the week...but today, we have an awesome interview with Guylaine and Isabelle of eco-friendly jewelry line, tomate d'epingles!

CMar: When did you first begin your company?

Tomate: Over 4 years ago! It's been a very fun ride so far!

CMar: What is your background in fashion?

Tomate: We actually don't have any...unless countless hours of shopping and reading fashion magazines counts

CMar: What inspires you to design?

Tomate: Fashion, of course. We just love it. We like haute couture as much as street styles We are also inspired by our raw materials a lot...we try to make them as beautiful as possible, without having to transform them a lot. We like for our jewelry to be aesthetically beautiful, but at the same time, people need to obviously see that it's made out of recycled materials.

CMar: What are your views on eco-fashion?

Tomate: We love the fact that eco is a buzz word right now because if people are aware and try to make changes in their spending habits, it's all good. We are also very happy to see that eco-fashion can be and IS high-fashion, glamorous, or everyday wear fabulous. We like that it's respected and loved by all. Plus, there are so many designers who do absolutely awesome work - it's very exciting and inspiring!

CMar: What are your views on sustainability?

Tomate: It is of the upmost importance to us. We do not want to produce recycled objects that will be mass consumed - it would defeat our purpose. We try to make all of our jewelry as versatile as possible - it can be worn with jeans, t-shirts, or a cute dress, and that reduces the need to buy lots. Also, all of our collections can be mixed and matched; they will endure the test of time and can be adapted to any look.

CMar: Who are some other designers you admire?

Tomate: There are so many locally! We love iheartnorwegianwood and Denis Gagnon. An eco-designer we really love is Charlotte Hosten.

CMar: What are your future design goals?

Tomate: We are currently working on our fall/winter 2010 collections and also our spring/summer 2011. We would like to broaden our horizons by adding new materials, and we would also like to eventually add accessories, like purses or scarves...one day!

CMar: What is special about your products?

Tomate: It's made with love

CMar: Where can customers buy your products?

Tomate: We have an online shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/tomatedepingles. We are also available across North America in almost 20 stores.

Thanks Guylaine and Isabelle! We love your products - you are so creative!