Every year, the month of October is adorned with roses in windows, on social networks and in conversations. In Reims and elsewhere, this awareness-raising campaign addresses a subject that concerns all women, regardless of their age or occupation. At La Louve Rémoise, a concept store remois that brings together local artisans and designers since 2017, this period resonates particularly: the shop has a large majority of women among its artisans, ceramists, jewellers, seamstresses or creators of natural cosmetics. Here's the opportunity to come back to what October Rose really is and to the place that women crafts occupy in Reims, especially in a place like La Louve.
October Rose, a campaign born 40 years ago
October Rose is an annual breast cancer screening and fund-raising campaign for research. She was born in the United States in 1985 and arrived in France in 1994, at the initiative of Estée Lauder and Marie Claire magazine. Since then, every month in October, associations, businesses and communities have been recalling the importance of early detection and supporting research against a disease that affects a very large number of women in the country.
The pink ribbon, symbol of this campaign, evokes the sweetness and femininity, but also the strength and courage of those who go through the disease. It can be found on posters, solidarity products, connected races, illuminations of monuments or conferences held throughout France throughout the month.
Reims is no exception: every year the city hosts local initiatives around October Rose, led by associations, traders and residents who are sensitive to the cause. It is in this collective spirit that La Louve Rémoise chose to speak on this subject, which concerns her directly through the women who make up her collective artisans.
A month, a climax on October 19
Contrary to an idea received, October Rose is not a single day: it is a whole month of awareness, from October 1 to 31. A date, however, remains symbolic: World Breast Cancer Day, celebrated on October 19, often marks the culmination of communication campaigns and events in France and around the world.
This month recalls a simple message: the earlier a breast cancer is detected, the better the chances of being managed. This is all at stake for regular screening, encouraged by the health authorities among women affected by the current recommendations. For any question about screening, modalities or medical follow-up, it is best to turn to health professionals or associations such as the League against Cancer, who have the precise information and are best placed to answer personal questions.
La Louve Rémise, a concept store worn by women
Since its creation in 2017, La Louve Rémise is the first association of artisans and creators in Reims. Located at 39 Thiers Street, the boutique presents unique and handmade pieces, divided into three universes: Fashion & Beauty, Home & Deco, and Art & Works. Behind every creation displayed in the shelves, there is a history and know-how, often hours of manual work that are not necessarily suspected by pushing the store door.
What strikes, when you know the ecosystem of La Louve, is the place women occupy. Ceramics, jewellery, leather, glass, natural cosmetics or textile creation: many of the artisans who exhibit their parts in the shop are designers, often installed on their own, who have chosen a manual trade and independent activity in an area where visibility is sometimes difficult to conquer alone. Without pointing out a particular person or lending a story to anyone that would not be his own, it seemed to us just to emphasize this in this month of October: supporting La Louve Rémise is also supporting entrepreneurship and female crafts in Reims, a sector where the collective often allows to keep where isolation could have discouraged.
Consume otherwise, a gesture of solidarity in the broad sense
The Louve Rémise has always defended the idea of using other things: to favour the hands, the premises, short circuits, rather than mass production and standardized objects that are found everywhere else. This month of October recalls that this choice of consumption also has a human dimension, often forgotten daily. Every purchase in the shop directly supports a local designer or creator, his workshop, his working time, and his economic activity.
The message that we want to carry is simple, and sincere: October Rose highlights the strength and solidarity between women, and La Louve Rémise is already, on a daily basis, a place where this solidarity is expressed between creators who share a space, a clientele and the desire to make live the local craft. To come to the shop, to talk with the artisans present, to be interested in their journey and their profession: this is already, to its extent, a way of associating with this spirit of solidarity.
A month to highlight women's crafts
Beyond October Rose, this month is the opportunity to (re)discover the diversity of know-how gathered in La Louve Rémise. A jewelry designer who works brass or silver by hand, a ceramicist who shapes unique pieces one after the other, a seamstress who gives a second life to fabrics, a manufacturer of natural cosmetics who composes his own formulas from carefully chosen ingredients: each brings his stone to this collective building which is the concept store, and each one alone deserves an article.
For the Rémises and Rémois who wish to mark this month in October with a concrete gesture, there are several simple options: strolling through the shelves of the Thiers Street shop, offering a local creation rather than a standardized object, or simply taking the time to talk with the artisans present during a visit to the shop. These are discreet ways to fit into the spirit of solidarity between women that October Rose carries, without it being a campaign-related commercial operation.
Frequently Asked Questions about October Rose
What's October Rose?
October Rose is an annual breast cancer screening and fund-raising campaign for research. She was born in the United States in 1985 and was launched in France in 1994, at the initiative of Estée Lauder and Marie Claire magazine.
October Rose, is it a day or all the month?
October Rose means well throughout October, not a single day. A date remains symbolic in this calendar: World Breast Cancer Day, celebrated every year on October 19, which often marks the culmination of awareness-raising campaigns.
What does the pink ribbon represent?
The pink ribbon is the official symbol of Rose October. It evokes the sweetness and femininity, but also the strength and courage of the women affected by the disease.
Where to learn about breast cancer screening?
For any question relating to screening or medical follow-up, health professionals and specialized associations such as the League against Cancer remain the most reliable interlocutors, able to provide an appropriate response to each situation.
Push the door of La Louve Rémise, a simple gesture
October Rose remains above all a moment to talk, raise awareness and remind the importance of early detection. In Reims, La Louve Rémoise wishes to greet, in its own way, all women who bring local craftsmanship to life, day after day, in their workshops and in the shop on Thiers Street. Want to discover their creations, learn more about their journey or simply meet the craftsmen behind each piece? La Louve Rémise welcomes you all year round, at 39 Thiers Street in Reims, for a moment away from the big brands and close to those who really make what they sell.
