With her brand Apré, Salomé Manzo uses textile waste from Atelier Tuffery to create clothes

Salomé Manzo a installé son atelier dans la maison de sa mère. Midi Libre – Lucas Manouvrier

La Lozérienne de 22 ans, qui a lancé son entreprise en octobre 2022, veut faire évoluer la mode vers un processus plus durable et plus éthique.

Salomé Manzo is a fan of sewing and clothing design. She is also sensitive to environmental issues. And the 22-year-old from Lozère found a compromise to combine her passion with her values: practicing upcycling (recycling of materials intended to be thrown away, Editor's note). It collects fabric scraps from Atelier Tuffery and unsaleable or damaged products. Then gives them a second life by making clothes but also accessories (bob, hat, pencil case, tote bag, etc.). Even the packaging – the tapestry – comes from recycled materials. "Throwing away new fabric is a shame, she believes. I'm trying to move fashion towards a more sustainable and ethical process."

Solving the textile waste problem

The native of Mende admits to working in this environment against the grain: "The creators first imagine their piece, then they look for the materials, she explains. For me, it’s the opposite. I work according to the fabrics I have." In other words, Salomé Manzo "solves the industrial problem of textile waste". She explored this subject during her undergraduate studies at the Duperré School of Applied Arts in Paris. In 2021, she completed a five-month internship in Atelier Tuffery where she was tasked with research into textile reuse. The following year, in her study dissertation, she looked into the question of the valorization of these falls. 

Everything is done by hand, from the recovery of fabrics to the packaging of the products. Midi Libre – Lucas Manouvrier

L'Atelier Tufféry, a model

A little overwhelmed by the discovery of the fashion world in the capital, too incongruent with her values, she, for a time, hesitated to change professional path. "I took a big beating in Paris, she confides. I was taught about greenwashing for example." But at the end of his first year, during an internship at Atelier Tuffery, a glimmer of hope resurfaced: "L&# 39;company m'showed that it was possible to do things differently, other than in Paris, while respecting the environment and the environment. human." From then on, she considered returning to Lozère, after obtaining her diploma, to launch her clothing brand. A sign of destiny, she grew up in Florac, the town in which Atelier Tuffery is located. So she came back to live there, in her mother's house, and set up her workshop there. "I opened in October 2022, with my collection that I made when I was at school." 

Afterwards, this is the name she chose to give to her brand. Or rather the rapper Oli (from the group Bigflo and Oli): "My sister met them and told them about my work. It was Oli who proposed this name, smiles the woman who accepted this unexpected proposal. "Afterwards because we reconstruct the world according to", justifies Salomé Manzo. 

Salomé Manzo wears a jacket made from the strips she holds in her hands. Midi Libre – Lucas Manouvrier

His award-winning project

For the moment, its activity is still starting up. She sells her products mainly in the summer and carries out other projects the rest of the season. For example, she gives tutoring classes in Saint-Denis (Seinte-Saint-Denis), runs sewing workshops for Atelier Tuffery and organizes fashion shows to increase the visibility of her brand. Thanks to her 2nd prize during the Department's Youth Challenge competition in mid-June, she obtained €1,200, which allowed her to rent a store this summer in Florac. "I take my time so as not to be overloaded, she explains. I haven't seen one yet but I'm giving myself three years to see if it works or not." She also wants to pass on and encourage other people to get involved in upcycling. Remembering that "even if it's counterintuitive, the day this activity stops, it will be a good sign. It's because we won't be needed anymore."

To discover the work of Salomé Manzo: apre-salomemanzo.fr or on Instagram: apre_salomemanzo. I subscribe to read more