Bonnet en soie : les coulisses de sa création (2/2)
Our silk bonnet — Part 2: the design
In Part 1, I left you with a decision: stop looking for the perfect bonnet, and make it. Here’s what happened next — the behind-the-scenes, the struggles, and the bonnet that came from it. Buckle up. 🤍
Sommaire
Designing a bonnet like a lingerie piece
I didn't want "just another bonnet." I wanted a piece you'd be proud to wear to bed. So I went looking for an expert lingerie pattern maker, because that's exactly how I envisioned this piece: elegant, delicate, and designed for your hair and your style.
We worked on 6 different sketches. (Professional secret: we're keeping the other 5 for our future designs...)
Then I chatted with a few of you to make a final decision. The big winner: design no. 6, the one that combined comfort, practicality, and elegance — a wrap-front style, a pretty bow to tie on the side, and a removable headband that could also be worn as an accessory.
Thirty prototypes, thirty of you: a co-creation
Make way for design. I personally went in search of silk to launch the first prototypes. We made 30 copies, sent free of charge to 30 of you to gather honest and constructive feedback. (Our loyal customers are spoiled 😊.)
Grâce à vous, on a pu :
We mixed classic shades, vibrant colors, and original touches. Our very first bestsellers: blue-gray, powder pink, ochre yellow. The design was approved. All that was left to do was produce it.
Behind the scenes (and the struggles) of production
The model was validated, so it was time for large-scale production. That’s when the real trouble began—four obstacles, one by one.
Difficulty No. 1 — Finding THE Silk
It is the finest, most expensive, most sought-after… and hardest material to find.
Armed with my little backpack, I set out scouring textile workshops across France. I even took the train to search workshops in other cities. There were many disappointments.
But also real joy and immense pride when I finally came across unexpected wonders.
Challenge No. 2 — Find the right workshop, and reject the easy way out
I surveyed more than 10 manufacturing workshops before finding the right partner. Many of them even suggested replacing the silk with polyester satin to cut costs. I quote: "it looks the part, and looks just as good in photos ".
My answer was unequivocal: "That is NOT an option. Silk, or nothing."
Challenge No. 3 — The mistake that cost 50m of silk
The chosen workshop, despite being recommended, got the head circumference wrong on the first pieces. Result: 50 meters of wasted silk, and a few tears.
A real blow, emotionally and financially, especially since I was 8 months pregnant and had given my all to finish production before slowing down. I was shaken for a few days. Then I went back to the factory, more determined than ever: "no" was not an option.
Outcome: part of the stock was lost, but the second part was salvaged — production provided free of charge as compensation.
Difficulty Level 4 — The Price of Silk Takes Flight
With the price of silk constantly rising, I couldn't place larger orders to meet demand. Out of stock, time and again.
What should I do? After a few sleepless nights, an idea came to me: “What if scarcity became my bonnet’s strength?”
Stop chasing quantity. Prioritize quality, always. Accept sell-outs. And source silk in small quantities: it’s time-consuming, but it’s also what makes each design unique, and often unrepeatable.
Our upcycled silk from major French fashion houses
After months of struggling, we finally found a silk partner whose values align with ours.
Today, our silk comes from remnants from major French fashion houses: we get access to rare and sumptuous colors… but in very small quantities. This is what makes each bonnet a limited edition: many designs are not carried over from month to month, depending on the silk available.
So yours has a great chance of being… the only one.
Concretely, what does that mean each month?
A lot of time for sometimes very few available pieces. But when you see the silk, the result is there.
What you told us — and what we changed
At the same time, we reviewed each of your comments on the first model. Quite honestly, two things kept coming up: what you already loved and what could be even better.
💛 Ce que vous avez adoré
- La soie, fabuleuse "VRAIMENT whaou"
- Le design et les coloris
- Assez grand pour tous les volumes de cheveux
- Son effet immédiat, testé et validé
✨ Ce qu'on a changé pour vous
- L'élastique respirant est remplacé par une soie stretch qui s'adapte à chaque tour de tête
- Un maintien renforcé grâce au bandeau : le bonnet tient et ne glisse pas de la nuit
- Le tour de tête est lui aussi en soie
All without losing any of the design: the elegant wrap on the side, the knot, the quality of the silk.
And this time, as you asked us to… we went all out on the colors.
Our colors of the moment
Your latest feedback speaks for us
« J'ai testé 4 bonnets de nuit et celui-ci est de loin le meilleur. Bravo pour la qualité au rendez-vous ! »
Claire
« J'aime la texture. Ne glisse pas durant le sommeil. »
Léna N.
« Meilleure idée, la soie stretch ! Ça tient très bien. »
Sarah V.
And there you have it, you know it all: the silk bonnet of my (our) dreams finally exists.
Exceptional silk. Elegant. Comfortable. Effective from the very first use.
We had the vision. You brought it to life — and it is even better than in our wildest dreams. Today, this bonnet is no longer mine: it is ours. And it has a great chance of being unique… just like you.
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