Belleyme by Carla Haddou: Crafting Wellness Niches in Parisian Retail
*BELLEYME
*BELLEYME
In the heart of Paris's Le Marais, Belleyme, a sanctuary of wellness, stands as a testament to Carla Haddou’s unconventional journey into the realm of beauty and wellness. With a master’s in management control and financial audit, her path diverged from numbers to a holistic wellness narrative during a serendipitous exploration of infrared saunas in London. Belleyme now bridges modern retail and service, offering a haven for self-care aficionados. As Carla unfolded her narrative, she shared a vision that transcends beyond curated products to a realm where beauty interlinks with overall wellness. From the quaint charm of Le Marais to the grand halls of Galeries Lafayette, Belleyme's expansion mirrors a broader aspiration to blend luxurious yet clean wellness solutions with a holistic approach. Amid a world re-evaluating self-care post-pandemic, Carla Haddou’s venture is more than a brand; it's a narrative of evolving consumer desires towards a balanced lifestyle, promising a pioneering stride in the wellness retail landscape.
Can you share with us your personal journey and how your global experiences shaped your vision for Belleyme?
Initially, I wasn’t destined for the world of beauty and entrepreneurship. I attended a business school and earned a master's degree in management control and financial audit, after which I spent three years in an auditing firm. During my studies, I began dipping my toes into the wellness universe. I spent a gap year abroad: 6 months on an American campus where I discovered the power of nutrition and dietary supplements along with the associated healthy lifestyle, and then 6 months working in London where I continued to develop my attraction to what could be called beauty food. It was also there that I discovered the fabulous concept of infrared saunas. These little seeds were planted in my head, and I returned to France to start my professional life. I quickly realized that it didn’t fulfill me, and the idea of creating a concept around wellness, through nutrition, and above all, a holistic approach, imposed itself on me. That’s when Belleyme was born (in my head at least!).
Belleyme stands out in the beauty and wellness space with your focus on luxurious yet clean products and meticulously designed experiences bridging retail and service. What was your vision in launching a brand that blends these elements?
Indeed, when I created Belleyme, almost nothing existed on the market with this type of global experience, combining retail and service, and offering an approach that considers the body as a whole. This was precisely what I missed as a consumer. I myself had been relieved of several ailments thanks to this holistic approach, and I wanted to offer a range of solutions to my clients. It's about doing good and addressing different concerns through dietary supplements and also the multiple benefits of the infrared sauna. Wellness, in my opinion, is an entirety; we cannot separate the different elements of our body, and everything is inevitably linked: having an effect on one's sleep or stress will positively impact one's skin. Beauty and wellness mix and are inseparable.
Your infrared sauna sessions seem core to the sensory escape you aim to offer customers. What initially inspired you to incorporate this treatment into your locations?
Belleyme was the first to offer private infrared sauna cabins, and it surprised me a lot when I discovered this technology abroad, but that's also what drove me to take the plunge. The very concept of infrared is very little known in France but very developed in English-speaking countries. I, who am not a big fan of traditional saunas, really re-discovered the experience through infrared, which actually doesn't have much in common except for the heat (which is much softer with infrared). Indeed, it's not just about sweating, but infrared is a real global care for the body and mind! Its ability to penetrate the body confers all its benefits, allowing for deep detox, improved skin quality, beneficial effects on stress, sleep, and chronic pains, an increase in well-being related endorphins, cell regeneration... a fabulous global treatment that convinced me from the first sessions.
Your boutique carries a curated mix of up-and-coming clean beauty labels. What is your brand selection process like? How do you discover and evaluate new products?
All brands and products have been tested and meticulously selected before opening to offer the best of each supplement and, above all, to provide a range of solutions and expertise that a single brand generally cannot offer. Since opening two and a half years ago, I am regularly contacted by brands or select new ones myself. The priority is, of course, the effectiveness of the products and the sourcing. I increasingly favor French brands, which was not necessarily the case initially as the market was much more developed among our English-speaking neighbors. Lastly, I make it a point to test each product to talk about it as best as possible to our customers.
You’ve expanded from Le Marais to renowned retailers like Galeries Lafayette. How have you determined the right partners and locales to bring your brand vision to life in new neighborhoods?
Le Marais is my favorite district in Paris, the one I arrived in from the provinces ten years ago as a young student, but beyond that, it has an energy, curiosity, and dynamism that matched the image of Belleyme and it seemed to me to be the ideal location to meet our clientele. Regarding Galeries Lafayette, the opportunity came to me and I immediately agreed to join this historic and majestic Parisian institution. Moreover, we had many clients who crossed Paris to visit our first space in Le Marais, and it made a lot of sense to set up in another dynamic neighborhood that is the 9th district.
How do you select your retail partners when expanding into new locations like the Galeries Lafayette? What makes for a good retail fit?
Things happened naturally. I first seek to meet the needs and desires of customers as much as possible, then there is a component of opportunity that comes into play, and a desire to offer a proximity offer to our clientele. For example, in the case of Galeries Lafayette, we had many requests for an opening on Sundays and Mondays, and it is now done in our Belleyme space at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann which welcomes our clientele 7 days a week.
Why do you think consumers are increasingly interested in wellness and self-care today? How is Belleyme meeting those needs?
I think the current economic and social context, but also for several years now, has led us to take more and more care of ourselves, our physical but also mental health. A major and unprecedented crisis like that of Covid has pushed us to take care of our health and put well-being at the heart of our concerns. I also think that we have reached a point where, by not listening to our own needs and the signals sent by our body, many of us develop chronic diseases and live daily with ailments that can be, if not serious, more or less disabling! By implementing small things and changes, it creates a virtuous circle that makes one want to explore even further. At least that was my own path.
How do you think the pandemic has shaped consumer attitudes and behaviors when it comes to self-care?
I am convinced that this crisis has permanently and very clearly changed everyone's behavior. We have realized that our health can be fragile and undermined, and that it is in no way secondary. Also, I think we have stepped aside from our very favorable health system that does not encourage us to prevent but rather to heal once the evil is installed (thanks in particular to medications). I have many clients who have developed a much more anticipatory approach so as not to wait for the problem (to hurt, to be sick) to act.
What are some of the most meaningful feedback or reviews you’ve received from Belleyme customers?
The comments that struck me the most came from two particular customers with chronic health problems who literally told me that Belleyme had changed their lives. This gives meaning to my work, and I would never have imagined having such feedback. Otherwise, to a lesser extent, our customers are very loyal (which is already a sign of satisfaction!) And regularly tell us that Belleyme, their infrared sauna session, their little coffee break, and their wellness purchases of dietary supplements are their moment of wellness and relaxation, and that they feel much better on a daily basis since they have integrated Belleyme into their weekly or monthly routine. And this is a real gift for us.
How do you stay on top of the latest product innovations and brands on the cutting edge of beauty? Are there any niche, up-and-coming beauty brands you've discovered that you're especially excited about?
I stay informed of new products and innovations mainly via Instagram but also women's press and via channels such as Future of Skincare which were sorely lacking and which allow us to highlight very promising niche brands or products, or already well established in the market! Recently in my discoveries, there is the ILSE brand which offers a 100% natural plant-based detox cure and which is very complementary to the infrared sauna...
What’s your vision for the ideal retail experience of the future - for beauty, wellness, and beyond?
I think the lines are moving but there is still a lot to do! That innovation in this field will allow us to access incredible sales experiences. In my ideal vision, there is, of course, the aspect of globality, once again to consider the body as a whole to respond to a concern or a problem (our skin, our hair, our digestion... everything is linked), and of course to put expertise and advice at the heart of the customer experience because that's what they come looking for when they come to a store!
What is your personal self-care routine like? How do you take care of your own wellness?
My routine has lightened over time in terms of care and cosmetics to turn precisely towards a global approach via a healthier lifestyle. In my opinion, the most important thing is balance. I am, for example, very greedy and I love exploring a lot of flavors, but I know that some foods don't suit me. I am not in restriction but in listening to my sensations. I take care of myself through pleasurable nutrition, through sport, through routines that also relieve my mind and do me good. I try to listen to my body and slow down or implement things that do me good when I feel that my mind no longer follows. And it goes without saying that my wellness routine of course includes dietary supplements on a daily basis (which change and evolve according to the season, my current health, my cycle, etc..) and regular infrared sauna sessions.
What’s next for Belleyme? What can customers expect in the coming months and years?
After two openings in less than 2 years, we are in a stabilization phase but with many projects and desires for development. I feel that Belleyme is only at the beginning of its adventure and that there are still many exciting subjects to explore! I hope to be able to announce new perspectives soon :)
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Belleyme Marais:
8 rue Charles-François Dupuis 75003 PARIS
Belleyme Galeries Lafayette:
40 bd Haussmann 75009 PARIS
Wellness Galerie niveau -1 Magasin Principal
PHOTO CREDITS: BELLEYME / Valentin Le Cron