If the white front highlighted with pink evokes more the 1980s than our time, the interior of the Gambetta lingerie boutique is not outdated. Valérie Rousseau is at the helm of this charming store, renovated to her liking four and a half years ago when she bought the brand from Brigitte Gauvin. “To my knowledge, I am the fourth owner. The shop belonged to Mr. Thomas; his daughter took over by marrying Mr. Gauthier. »
“I do a service job with a lot of listening”
Here is a lineage found thanks to old registers kept by Mr. Gauthier. “In a small locked cabinet, I found all the account books since 1924 but I am sure that there are even older ones. I will look at all this once I retire…”
Purchases and sales with the day and date have grayed out the 600 pages yellowed by time dated from 1925 to 1928. Everything was carefully recorded in these registers. Clearly, the store supplied equipment prescribed by doctors and midwives. “The writings concern medical equipment more than lingerie. The bra fell into the medical box. There were a lot of clinics before the 1960s and the Hôtel-Dieu. People came here to get their supplies and have their bra stays repaired, in particular. There was a workshop with sewing machines. » An old photo, which she keeps in a frame, attests to her statements.
Valérie Rousseau found old registers in a small locked cupboard.
© (Photo NR-CP, Marie-Laure Aveline)
Valérie Rousseau worked with the previous owner who continued to run the workshop. She held a diploma as an orthopedist “approved by Social Security for venous compression, breast prostheses, tailor-made, lap belts…” serving customers for twenty-four years. The medical aspect was still very significant.
Kindness
“Lingerie appeared in the 1970s with the disappearance of the corset, particularly for children, even if Brigitte Gauvin continued to make them on medical prescription. » When Valérie Rousseau took over the store, she had some work done to dust off the “orthopedic” image of the store. It retains more traditional models but changes the layout.
Underwear is no longer left in its box but presented on hangers. She redesigned the back of the store in a cozy way with fitting rooms far from the entrance to the store. “I also sell comfortable underwear, post-operative, for breastfeeding, sports, radiotherapy…”
Noble materials such as wool and silk also entered the store through mainly Italian confections. Valérie Rousseau’s know-how and tact make the difference. “Beyond sales, I do a service job with a lot of listening. We touch on the intimate. » His support is caring and non-judgmental. She does not hesitate to repair fasteners or bra bones depending on the body shape which can change over the course of a lifetime. Another service that we could describe as “after-sales”.
