Few weeks ago, we introduced you to our newly arrived start up, Loupilou, which rents second hand clothes for babies.
The theory says that children are priceless… But are they, really? Facts show that bills can add up pretty easily. According to a survey carried out by allobébé.fr, from its birth to its 3 years old, the cost of a child goes up to 16,000€. Clothing is the second expenditure item, right after food, and represents 26% of the total budget, which means 4,440€ spent on a 3-year-period.
Loupilou born out of this assessment, and gives parents a more collaborative and cheap way of consuming. So, does loving rhyme with counting? The answer right now with Claire and Sarah, founders of Loupilou.
« Hi Claire, Hi Sarah! Could you explain what the concept behind Loupilou is?
Loupilou gives the opportunity for parents to rent designer clothes for their baby, from their birth to their 3 years old. It’s easy: parents go on www.loupilou.fr, choose their membership and which clothes they would like to include in their box. The month after, they can choose new items and send back the former package. Wrappers are provided and the shipping is already prepaid. There is no need for parents to wash or iron clothes, Loupilou got it all! Whether it be dry cleaning or delivery, we take care of everything. The clothes got damaged or parents can’t get rid of a stain? We don’t charge them. Stained clothes will be donated to an association. Loupilou’s box can also be offered!
Tell us more about both of your paths, and how you met.
We met in September 2016, as we both entered Grenoble Ecole de Management (Grenoble Management school), where we attended the Entrepreneurship Masters. We first became roommates, then friends and finally partners! Who would have thought last year when we first met, that within the next year we would have built a company together?
Claire: I joined GEM after attending an Institut Universitaire Technologique (French equivalent for Technological Community College). I interned in Hong Kong and Berlin, where I had my first experiences in entrepreneurship. I have also been encouraged by relatives, who are entrepreneurs themselves.
Sarah: As for myself, I integrated GEM after prep school. I discovered entrepreneurship as I was attending an exchange program specialized in innovation and entrepreneurship, in Vancouver.
How did the idea come to you?
A baby born in Claire’s family circle. The parents would complain that the baby would grow up so fast they could only use its clothes for a very limited amount of time. Eventually, the wardrobe ends up full of clothes that does not fit anymore. What a pity, when you know that high quality or designer clothes worth about 150€… And that’s how the idea of Loupilou crossed our minds.
You favored rental to purchase, and second hand to brand new. Why adopting this business model?
In our opinion, circular economy is what to expect next for the fashion industry. As of today, we are still in a linear economy, where collections are renewed every season, every year. Our objective is to consider clothes as a sustainable resource rather than just a finite resource. And that’s why we chose rental! That way, not only does the piece of clothes have a second life, but also a third one, a fourth one, and so on. It ends up having a whole life cycle.
Who are your customers?
At the moment, our clientele is mainly composed of mums. But we aim to win dads’ heart too! The mums’ profile can vary greatly: from mums who are willing to treat their little ones for not too much, to the ones willing to consume differently, or even the ones looking for practicality.
What are you the most proud of until now?
We don’t have much perspective yet, but surely that we managed gaining clients from the really first days of activity.
You joined Look Forward few weeks ago, as part of its 3rd promotion of incubation. What does that year of incubation mean for you ?
Look Forward showed trust, and welcomed us in their offices, and what offices! That’s an incredible opportunity for Loupilou to develop during one year, with the help of Showroomprive.com’s experts and Look Forward’s team. They are always here to help and bringing new ideas to the table! We have already invested the ground with all our mini clothes. These really are the best conditions to start an activity. »
Thanks to Claire and Sarah for their time. The rest of the interview is available in the movie below (in French), and you can get to know more about the rental of their box on www.loupilou.fr.