questions answered by Gaëlle Koutou

ethical fashionista & entreprenuer

Gaëlle Koutou is an inspiration to anyone who is trying to achieve a feminist, sustainable lifestyle. Her store, femmefatale.com,

When did you create Femme Fatale and what inspired you to?

From a feminist point of view:

80% of workers in the textile industry are women aged 18 to 35 years.

They are mostly abused and underpaid. Their toilet breaks are timed, they work in poor conditions, in non-air-conditioned rooms, unventilated and do not have access to basic labor rights such as maternity leave.

They are often forced to work 14 to 16 hours a day 7 days a week.

They are paid at the minimum wage which is different from the living wage needed to live decently.

Those who try to obtain rights by joining a union are subject to physical and verbal retaliation to prevent them.

They are even sometimes forced to sleep in dormitories in addition to being physically and verbally abused.

From an ethical and sustainable point of view:

In addition, fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world. In fact, 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases are released each year every year because of the textile industry.

The manufacturing cycle is linear: fashion labels manufacture, store, distribute and burn thousands of garments each year.

The manufacturing is based on chemical material such as plastic that is not biodegradable.

The way they are bought is just as mechanical: you buy, wear, then throw again and again.

All these processes are extremely polluting and toxic for the planet and the people!

That is why I created Femme Fatale with the objective of offering unique and high-quality products.

The goal is to help and support women and also to reduce the impact of the fashion industry on the environment.

So to avoid waste, overproduction and unnecessary shipments, I set up a pre-order system to avoid wasting anything. ️

Logically, there are no annual sales, I rather offer competitive prices to have a lasting impact on our behavior as consumers.

I wish to make it a hub of ethical and sustainable brands in France - but also internationally.

It was also important for me to support organizations that help women who need it the most.

I just wanted to change the fashion industry

What is your background? What makes you unique?

I am French with an African Background!. I come from a disadvantaged neighborhood. My mom did not finish school, emigrated to France in the 70s and is now a cleaner.

I am now an activist based in Paris.

As long as I can remember, I have always vocal about sustainable development and gender equality.♀️♀️♀️

I grew up in the 90s listening to the Spice Girls and TLC and watching Buffy against the vampires, Charmed or Sabrina.

Since very young, I always recycled and now I love to shop on Depop to find second-hand clothes! 🛍️

I founded Femme Fatale with the goal of creating a company where I could use my skills for social good.

I wanted to give free rein to my creativity and also to combine my two passions: sustainable fashion and women's empowerment.

That's why some of the sales go to charities that help women. I want to do something that does good for the people and the planet! 🌍

What is the mission behind Femme Fatale?

With Femme Fatale, I aim to transform the fashion industry by implementing 100% transparent and ethical processes, from supply to delivery.

I see sustainability as much more than a marketing word.

This defines my actions and commitments.

My mission ? Give back to people as well as to Mother Nature. 🌱

The products available are organic, recycled or upcycled, made with love and dedication.

I work exclusively with sustainable brands run by women who respect international labor standards and ensure fair and safe work environments.

Each product purchased also has an ethical or sustainable impact.

What is your favorite creative outlet?

I'm an introvert so my creative outlet is a blank page or an empty word document ;)

I like to write blogs for Femme Fatale or on my personal website www.thisisgaelle.com as well as journaling.

I discover journaling while I was on a yoga retreat in Costa Rica two years ago and I love it ever since!

My goal is to write every day in my journal but sometimes I have a creative block!

I try not to force it! Whenever creativity comes I embrace it!

What do you do in the form of self-care?

I enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training and also studied to become a Reiki Master. I was not sure if I wanted to embrace a new holistic career.

I hardly considered that an option, but onboarding on such a journey felt as the one-way ticket towards change and transformation.

I was working in a stressful job and I needed a way to unwind, and a yoga teacher training in Rishikesh seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so.

I was craving for the ultimate culture clash.

The ideal next step to reconnect with my real self. I was craving for stillness and simplicity.

Surrendering in the unknown was a real blessing, and very honestly, I never felt that joyful.

What environmental issues are you most concerned about?

As I mentioned earlier, global warming is an urgent issue and we all need to do our best to tackle the current climate crisis we are facing!

What are your tips for creators?

Be authentic especially on Instagram! It can be easy to get discouraged as there is a lot of noise online!

Be yourself!

There is no point in copying someone else!

Your followers will support you if you are true with them!

What is your favorite song right now?

My favorite song at the moment is from Lizzo and is Truth Hurts! I love her story on how she believed in herself and worked hard for the last 10 years to achieve success!

We can all learn a lesson of resilience from her!