Meet Andrea, the stylish mama and woman behind Femme Faire. I feel so blessed to have met Andrea and connected with her business. She is genuine and dedicated to creating ethical fashion to bring you luxurious handmade products for women to cherish. Andrea is passionate about empowering women globally and within our local community. Femme Faire is a business you want to get behind because it truly stands for something beautiful.
Do you have kids? If so how many & age?  Yes I have a daughter, Aylah; she's 2.
What's one thing people probably don't know about you? I've traveled to over 30 countries around the world & I have a phobia of styrofoam.
Are you a stay at home mom? No, at the moment I work full time as a teacher and run my business Femme Faire.
What is your favourite thing to do for yourself? I love getting pampered in any way, I also love getting dressed up, going out and eating great food.
What is your favourite date night activity?Â
I love exploring new restaurants and trying new foods ( I love to eat lol) At this point anything is a treat when we get a minute just the two of us!
Who's your IG inspiration? I follow loads of really strong, intelligent, successful & beautiful women that lead me in positive ways. There are too many to name.Â
What advice would you give your younger self? Do the things that scare you the most.Â
Where is business located out of? Femme Faire is an online store that I run out of my home in Waterdown.
How did you choose the name for your business? I had emotionally committed to starting Femme Faire while travelling through Costa Rica with my then 6 month old daughter. I wanted the name to represent women in a strong & feminine way. I wanted to reflect my French background, and play on the words 'Fair' as equitable practices along with 'Faire' being the action to make in French. I wanted people to hear and say Femme Faire and have many ideas and emotions resonate. Fairness, Handmade, Equity, Sustainability, Women, Power, Femininity,  Empowerment, Authenticity and Global Community. I was very ambitious!Â
How do you balance having kids & running a business? To be honest, I am still figuring that out. Any tips for me?
Where can people find your products? You can shop our products online at femmefaire.ca and also in retail and other online boutiques across Canada. My stockists can be found on my website!
What advice can you give someone looking to start up their own business? Surround yourself with likeminded people. Say yes & work hard.Â
What sets your business apart from others alike? Femme Faire started from my fundamental need to feel connected to the world in a positive way. I've always dedicated some part of myself to volunteering in local organizations or abroad and after having my daughter, I was overcome by a deep rooted need to empower and support women in my community and globally and to model this for her. Femme Faire started as a passion project and I am proud to say its growing everyday into so much more. I am so grateful that women are connecting with my journey and feeling inspired by our story and our products. I am especially proud of our latest Collection of Handmade Headbands and the partnership I've created with Newcomer Female Refugees in Canada. This project means everything and IS Femme Faire through & through.Â
What is the most challenging part of running your business? I make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes I feel like I'm making great strides and other times I feel like I've ten steps back before I've even finished my latte. It's the constant ebb and flow of business. But I suppose that is also what I love about it.Â
What does a typical day look like for you? Girl, we need wine for that lol
Favourite song: You Are The Best Thing-Ray LaMontagne Dream Vacation: Marakesh Favourite Book: Shantaram Dream Job: Femme Faire Full Time Favourite Podcast: My Dad Wrote a Porno Dream Car: 1990 Volkswagen Cabriolet Convertible, I'm such a dweeb! Favourite Smell: Coco Chanel Mademoiselle Favourite item of clothing: Headbands Obviously :)
Instagram: @femmefaire
Website: www.femmefaire.ca
@Camara.Crew Stamp of Approval:
I first learned of Andrea's business through Instagram and some friends that I was following. When I checked out her page, I felt am immediate connection to her products and messaging. It was beautiful to see someone so passionate about supporting women and putting forth a beautiful message. I then had the pleasure of meeting Andrea at an event here in Hamilton. She is one of the kindest people you will meet and SO fashionable may I add! I wish I could get a sneak peek in her closet LOL! You can tell how passionate she is about her work when you speak with her and that she is trying to make a difference in the world.
I received one of her super stylish headbands, the Velvet Dusty Rose. There are a few things I love about this headband:
it is comfortable - i don't have to constantly adjust it and it never feels like its giving me a headache
it looks amazing! I love that I can quickly put it on and it makes any hair do look more fashionable and put together. Whether I am rocking an updo or down I can easily incorporate it
it makes mom life easy - I rarely have time to do my hair. On the days I am feeling like I don't have time I put on my headband to help me feel like I achieved a more put together look
And trust me when I say the rest of Andrea's products are just as amazing! I've checked them out personally at a local stockist here in Hamilton; The Local Life on Locke and everything she puts forth is amazing!
This is why I love meeting and learning more about the people behind the businesses I share in my meet the maker series. The stories, experiences and messaging that the owners have to share are so beautiful. Andrea is one of those people who inspire you to want to do better.
