HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!!

Here we are! What are YOU going to wear tonight? Well, this is what we are going to wear :)

Enjoy the last 2010 hours... and see you in 2011!!!

Thank you Kristy for the Xmas blog event! :)

Thanks to Kristy and her team for the fabulous blog event she is hosting!

Check it out and leave a comment!!! 

Enjoy your holidays guys ;)

To comment on the blog event: Click here !!

Dimie Cat - Christmas Tea

Happy X-mas everybody!!

Finally in Paris together!!! :)

- Metro Parmentier, 11e arrondissement: Paris is completely white! Mademoiselle A is walking in the snow… with cute boots from Miami, but… let’s be honest: snow, cold and high heels? Not an easy way to face the season… but a pretty one!

- Rue..rue..rue.. P. ah, there we are! Mademoiselle A, in front of the building, looks up in the sky and start smiling.

- Mademoiselle L is walking in her apartment… preparing tea, cleaning her mess… gathering paper blocks, pens, plans... And then realizes… “What is missing?”…

- Did you ever feel that you know someone so bad that you forgot you never met that person? Well, let’s be honest that doesn’t happen pretty often… Mademoiselle A thought she would sucks at having the first discussion. You need to know that being sociable isn’t Mademoiselle A cup of tea…

- “Dring!!!”, that is Mademoiselle A in front of the door!!!

- Mademoiselle L opens the door and think: Wow: stylish, bow tie nice smile, no surprise… a well dressed designer with taste!

They both hugged, and started chating like they met ages ago…  in live now! 

Tell us more about you!!!

Hello guys,

Last week we discovered Mademoiselle L and A favorite candy and chocolate spots !
This week, they want to know more about you!!!

- What is your favorite candy? your favorite chocolate?
- Do you have a candy you use to love during your childhood and that you hardly find in candyshops nowadays?
- Do you have a place you like where you discovered an amazing treat?

Leave Mademoiselle L & A comments on the blog, the facebook page or send them an email at: lilbcandyshop@gmail.com

They want to know more about you and hope that you will be a lot to share your sweets preferences :)

IF YOU COULD HAVE A SWEET RIGHT NOW: WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PICK?

What is your favorite sweet? There are so many of them but when you arrive in a store, why do you pick that particular one? (You know… that little cute one waiting for you in its beautiful package whispering: EAT ME)

Mademoiselle L is a chocolate lover! And when I say lover… I mean that she could go into a 24h shop, late at night in her pajamas… just to enjoy a chocolate bar in front of her favorite soap! She often wishes she could fly from Paris to NY just to satisfy her chocolate addiction and you know why? Because she had the chance to eat one of the best chocolate bar ever while travelling to NY last summer! Crafted by chocolate makers using quality beans. It was at The Mast Brothers chocolate factory. It is THE paradise for chocolate addicts! And with no hesitation, Mademoiselle L would pick the Hazelnuts one with Dark Venezuelan chocolate! Yummy!!!

Oh… and can you guess what Mademoiselle A would pick? Any ideas?? This sweet and joyful designer is found of something fruity, colorful, which could be found in different shapes... Something that reminds us of rainbows… It is one of the oldest candies in the world… We are talking about LOLLIPOPS!!! She love them and while making a business trip in Las Vegas, she had the opportunity to drop by The Sugar Factory… a crazy place that just made her head spin in all directions!

And now, some of you might think... “What are these two crazy girls talking about? I thought I was following 2 frenchies trying to set up a Lingerie concept store in NY?” Well, you are! And treats are part of our world too!!! As you have red it on THE LIL B CONCEPT page, our idea is to mix and match lingerie with candy inspirations/aspirations. The candy and chocolate spirit you encounter in previous paragraphs? You will be able to enjoy it with LIL’B.

TO DO LIST, COUNTDOWN AND FEARS: IT IS ALL ABOUT PASSION!

Company registration? Check!

Opening a bank account while being in 2 different cities: (3 if you count our lovely lawyer?) Check!

Preparing the collections and sending all sketches to our factory? Not easy and still dealing but let’s say check!

Mademoiselle A preparing her “Xmas come back” and Mademoiselle L being excited about her venue? :  check!

Mademoiselle L and A, gathering all documents for the visa? Check!!!!!

AND NOW WHAT? NOW WHAT????

Well, now… they have to be wait… be patient… and count the days (well… 7 weeks more or less…let’s hope for less!!) before the answer of the lawyer about their visa issue comes out… So, while reading this please keep your fingers cross for us J

Mademoiselle L & A are currently working hard in order to make their dreams come true… they have dark circle under  their eyes but… if they still have the smile, creativity and strength while working at their job on daytime and on LIL’B at night it is because they have faith in their concept!

For those who have a project, a dream they believe in: never give up and fight for it!

If Mademoiselle L & A are taking so many risk is because they feel it is worth it! And even more than that: they are passionate!

Mademoiselle A interesting weekend...

As you already know, Mademoiselle A and Mademoiselle L are applying for a visa. And in order to do so, there is a million papers they have to gather together.

One of this is a bank statement. But first you need to have an business account right? Well that is not as easy as it looks like...

The issue were that nobody can help to open an account from Miami for a company in New York... And guess what, bankers wanted Mademoiselle A to register her company in Florida, just to open an account.

So after a lot of stressful talk with bankers in Miami, Mademoiselle A decided that going to New York would be way more simple.

So on friday night, after work, she flew from Miami to New York. Well, she was not expecting to loose 32 °F ( around 20°C) after 3 hours flying!

A cold and frozen toes later, she finally had an account for the company.

She went to see a few things after that, as you will be able to see on the pictures : The new Wonka concept store in Time Square, OK Mr and Ms Potatoes that was just for fun...., and the view from brooklyn heights.

And that is not all... Because what you don't know is that there is Art Basel going on in Miami. And if you need to know one thing is that this is THE SHIT!

So on saturday night, Mademoiselle A flight back to Miami in order to be able to enjoy Art Basel on Sunday.

Art Basel is one of the biggest Art fair in the world, and the city is totally becoming crazy. So there is all the Art fairs, like Art Asia, Scoope, Red Dot... And there is also everything else like live paintings, art gallery openings, street parties...

So basically you can see all the new crazy arty shit from all over the world.

That is quite a weekend, right?

Women, Lingerie & sweets… a matter of desire!

When you think of Lingerie & sweets, your senses are awake and you start to…

… taste the juicy flavor of fraise tagada in a cold and sparkling glass of champagne?
… feel how silk smoothly combine with your body?
… admire(or imagine) yourself, beautiful, wearing lacy underwear ? (and why not eating a toffee apple?)
… smell sweet fragrances like cotton candy or hot chocolate with fruits and a glass of red wine?

Now, match these comfy and pleasant sensations with you, beautiful and sensual woman that you are or with the image of the woman you are attracted to (for you FF, BF, husband, or whatever the name you give him): doesn’t it feel like a beautiful day dream?

If you come back to the reality, it is more like you (women) with scratchy thigh-highs, asking yourself when the BF will be here. And after 5 mins with the BF, you can not resist to say :
" Am I fat ?... No, tell me the truth [BF]...Do you think I am fat? I am trying to quit my chocolate and ice cream nights…" And you might even say that while eating a treat! And then what? You would probably get angry hearing “no honey, you look nice and beautiful”… and THAT particular sentence will turn you into an angry monster!!!

Women and sweets are like a love story: they broke up a lot, cry, sometimes make some drama but often come back to their passionate relationship... And it is all about Desire.. This is what relates Lingerie and Sweets : DESIRE.

Oh, and BTW: Because Love is the heart of our blog: we want to share with our followers and friends this beautiful song… Because we love U So…
Cassius, I LOVE U SO : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6nrdCDG-zo

Backward is ok but forward is better, don’t you think?

Have you heard about revival? We all do because each year, we have this feeling of seeing and experiencing something we already know.
While having a walk through Miami streets to have a glimpse of all fashion trends, Mademoiselle A had that exact feeling “I feel I have already seen this before…” Well guess what: she did! And do you know why? Because Fashion is all about revival…. It is like we are stuck in the past…

Now that we are done being found of the 80s ... (and we are in November… remember this summer how we were found of the 60s, 70s…) Let’ go for the 90s! Underwear is outwear? Thank you Madonna and Jean – Paul (The Blonde Ambition tour might bring back some memories …) Doc Martens, army clothes, large wool sweater, fanny Packs? Classic items of both Mademoiselle L & A childhood…

But, isn’t it too soon to make a revival of the 90’s while it just has been considered vintage?

Are we so nostalgic that we do not want to create anything new? Is innovation difficult to establish in 2010’s Lingerie and Fashion world? Mademoiselle A and L don’t think so! That is the reason why even if they love and respect their past generations, they want to reflect in LIL’B today issues.

We all agree that fashion is a way to revisit the past, but really? A copy of the past? NO.

3, 2, 1 GO !

Getting a visa isn’t a marathon, it is a war !!!
Gathering the documents, making provisional plans…. Proving no matter what that “WE WERE WE WERE ROCK IT!” isn’t the nice, sweet, and funny part…. Well, the adrenaline is nice but… it is really hard! Especially when you are working at the same time….

OMG, we did not tell you? Making our dreams come true is the night part of our lives! On daytime? Like most of the citizens, we have a job! So, after an exhausting day… we have exhausting nights! And a social life… But let’s go back to the visa thingy…

When it is the first time you start a company (oh yeah, because when you see all those people succeeding, people sometimes think they are born for that! Or have 10 companies…) in a foreign country: the pressure is very high: from your home land, from the people receiving you at the border (and we all know how joyful the US borders guys are…), from yourself because you want to succeed.

Oh and please, let’s add to that some spices and start a company while being 6 hours away from one another….! Morality? Be organized! Be confident! And, stick to your plan no matter what… Just to let you know… we will soon be able to meet up.. Mademoiselle A will be in Paris in December. Finally meeting each other? Very exciting!!!

Step by step

We are almost there…

After working day and night to finalize her sketches, loosing faith while being abandoned by her first business partner, thinking and rethinking the little details about the LIL’B concept, finding THE person she thinks could be a great balance for the company success… Mademoiselle A can finally start smiling (at least as a start…).

On the 18th of November, Mademoiselle A received an email. THE kind of email which would make your day starts with a huge smile! LIL’ B was officially created in the state of New York! After jumping, singing, crying (tears of joy of course!)… Mademoiselle A sent an email with the good news to Mademoiselle L, who started jumping, singing, crying, smiling… and both of course called their family and close friends to share the good news.

It may sound a bit “normal” for some of you, probably “the regular” step even… but for Mademoiselle L and A, it is the sign that they are almost there… The 18^th of November is a date they are never going to forget.  

Mademoiselle L and A started receiving many paper works and a list of documents to transfer to their lawyer… Actually, the official registration of the company is JUST a start!!! After sipping their glass of champagne (with a gap of 6 hours of course), they realize that… the 18^th of November was the date of the beginning of a crazy and exciting marathon!

What comes next? THE visa for Uncle Sam’s land…

A moment of reflexion about this crazy world…

Did you ever notice how the Lingerie industry and the Fashion industry make crazy efforts not to be associated with each other?

It is amazing how some people in fashion consider the Lingerie sector as a boring technical craft, and how the Lingerie world evaluates Fashion as an ephemeral tantrum.

What is Fashion? Isn’t it supposed to be a talent based on design , passion, pleasure in order to be different?
Isn’t it the ability to use the right fabrics at the right time for the right people?
Maybe it can be a good marketing strategy with a lot of money…

LIL’B is all about being yourself, being free, being real, and being alive. It is the story of two girls who believe that fashion has to be accessible, affordable and respectful of each person as an individual. Fashion is the ability to see the world with colors, talking to people with fabrics, making them smile.

Wouldn’t it be more funny in this overwhelmed planet to create a whole unique world of ideas without considering yourself too serious?

Mademoiselle L’ and Mademoiselle A’ wish list of changes would be :
*Not crying each time you don’t fit in skinny pants.
*Not lying when someone ask : did you work out? And simply respond : No, I watched Gossip Girl and ate an entire box of chocolate
*Being proud when wearing crazy sneakers at the airport ( the most boring place in this word...)
*Screaming whenever you want ( even in Starbucks!)
 
Here is a few blogs that 2 frenchies in NY love because they are an inspiration for their everyday actions. They are fresh, not pretentious, and they make them smile. These blogs represents People who reflect what 2 frenchies in NY are struggling for each day. People they believe in. People who are real!

www.myspace.com/ducksaucenyc - represents how Mademoiselle L and A see New York City
http://www.jazzimcg.com/blog/ - a really cool girl who is not too serious about herself
http://happythings.tumblr.com/ - inspiring, will make you feel better
 

Sometimes God sends people to test your motivation

Mademoiselle A was having a perfect sunny day in Miami beach. She went to Starbucks to work.
Yes, because what you don't know is that Mademoiselle A lives with a dog, a cat, a couple of friends and sleeps on an airmatress. So when she wants to work, she goes to American's favorite fake coffe place. But that's not the point.
She was ordering when a woman that she didn't know started talking to her while waiting in the line.


Stranger : You have a french accent.

Mademoiselle A : Well, maybe it is because I am french.

Stranger : Are you on vacation or are you living in Miami?

Mademoiselle A : I am living here

Stranger : Do you like Miami?

Mademoiselle A : Yes, that is a really pleasant city, good weather...

Stranger : Oh... I hate Miami.

Mademoiselle A's mind : Mmmmhhh, that is not a nice conversation....
Stranger : What is your job?

Mademoiselle A : I am a fashion designer.

Stranger : Really? ... That is not working really well, right ? Nobody does that anymore!
Mademoiselle A's mind : WTF?????

Stranger :For how long are you staying here?

Mademoiselle A : Actually, I am leaving Miami in December, and I hope to be in New York next year.

Stranger : Oh, New York is way better!

Mademoiselle A'mind : Maybe she is not so mean finally....

Mademoiselle A : I am starting my company.

Stranger : Are you sure? That's not gonna work with the whole economic situation! I know a french girl who came in Miami to design jewelries, she stayed 2 weeks. You will not be able to make it work in New York.

Mademoiselle A' mind : Ok...If it is a joke, that is really not funny.

Stranger : You should definitely go to China to start your company. It would be smarter to go there than New York.

Mademoiselle A : Mmmmmh...I think I should go...

Stranger : Have a nice day, and good luck for your project!

Mademoiselle A stayed in her Starbucks chair during half an hour wondering who payed this woman to be so mean with her. She was also trying to remember the last time that she met someone as mean as that.

Well, the moral of this story is that there will always be people who will try to make you feel like shit no matter what. Maybe it is just God playing around with you, testing you to see if you are strong enough...

It is always a matter of $$$$$

Mademoiselle L needed to get involve as an associate, which means: SHE NEEDED MONEY!

She had to be confident in order to pursue her dream… and nobody, not even the bank would stop her from achieving it! She decided to have an appointment with her counselor. 

She dressed up. Printed the business plan, the provisional budget and headed to her appointment fresh and confident.

Mademoiselle L financial expectations’? Pretty high… but who knows, maybe her bank counselor could have eyes problems that day… or would be in such a good mood he would say yes without asking her for any details about the project?!....

Well…actually… this first crazy obstacle turned out to be very funny… but before we get to the point, some hints need to be given to all the people reading this blog and willing to start their business:

Rule n°1 when you go to see your bank in order to have money, always ask more than what you expect!

Rule n°2 keep in mind that if you have already spoken on the phone with your bank counselor, told him what you need and in the end booked an appointment with him: you will get out of your meeting with a credit for your project.

The question we all wonder now is: Did Mademoiselle L get her credit?

After asking for 3 times the amount she needed, and smiling while the bank counselor was repeating: “sorry Miss L but you cannot have that amount of money”, she finally look at him right in the eyes and said: “well, I don’t think you invited me here just to tell me no, so how much can I get?” He started calculating, simulating and so forth … and in the end, he accepted to give her a credit for the business… not the amount she asked for but enough to make her dreams come true…

And the moral of the story is, do not let anyone tell you that getting money for a project is impossible and hard! Always try and believe in yourself.

Have you met...?

The funny thing about our generation is that internet, social media and other means of communication facilitate exchanges between 2 people located in different parts of the world… At this point of the adventure, Mademoiselle L and Mademoiselle A haven’t met yet… Physically, of course… One is in Paris and the other in Miami.

After reading these few lines, you may think “Are these girls crazy?” Of course they are: like a person who would quit everything he has to follow the love of his life in another country, like the two Stanford university geniuses who created the most used search engine in the world, like the business partners who started a software company that revolutionized the personal computer in a garage etc… Don't get me wrong, Mademoiselle L and Mademoiselle A don't think that they are genius, they just see how this good concept could change their lives.

Mademoiselle A and Mademoiselle L are maybe a little bit crazy, but they are not stupid! They see businesses in the 21st century differently. They realize how much they need each other for the building of this company, and to achieve their dreams. They were both linked up by the same business contact that they trust.

The “IF this and IF that happens…” questions are clearly exposed. Scared? They might be. Fear? Part of all changes in life. But in the end, you should know that their willingness to build their own future is giving them the strength and motivation to work hard in order to achieve their dreams.

You should know that we never saw each other in person!

A chance encounter or just destiny? Part. 2

Mademoiselle A almost started the concept with an old friend. She was signing papers for the lawyer when the phone ringed :

“I can’t do it”

Ok. No panic… Actually, a big freaking panic. Dream broken.

“I am a loser. Don’t have any goal in life. Lost”

After a few weeks, a jumble of thoughts and a big screaming feeling inside, Mademoiselle A decided it was time to go further.

She started by looking for someone to help for the marketing/PR and sales. She had no idea how to find the right person.

American ? French ?

“I should have networked with marketing people during my studies instead of those crazy arty fashiony people…”

After reviewing random profiles and really expensive agencies, she sent an email to a friend in Paris.

That same day she received a return email with an attachment.

When she opened the word doc., she knew that was the one. It was like falling in love professionally.

“French, Fluent English, Eclectic, Motivated, Wants to move…OMG how is that possible?”

A chance encounter or just destiny? Part.1

Mademoiselle L current situation is clear: she is fed up with her professional career as an employee in a real estate agency… When you start waking each morning, and keep delaying your alarm clock, arriving right on time and leaving at 6.30pm sharp: the signs are obvious, you need to quit! But it is not an easy decision to make…

No husband, no kids, young and full of dreams, Mademoiselle L decided to look at this damn crisis right in the eyes and make a decision for herself. She decided to stop being miserable and look after her happiness and future. She started looking for a new job!

She sent emails to her whole network: friends, professional contacts, online business networks and so forth… Oh and I also forgot the usual procedure: applying and preparing for DOZENS of interviews!

Few weeks later, Mademoiselle L started to receive applications answers, mostly negative due to her lack of experience in the field she wanted to settle in… The funny thing about experience is that you need to be employed in a company first in order to build it!

Mademoiselle L became grumpy, depressed and sad, thinking she was going to be stuck in a field she wanted to leave….  One day, while checking out her emails, she saw a mail of a business contact. The message specified that Mademoiselle A was in MIAMI, running a business and was looking for a person who would be in charge of marketing, communication and business development.

Is it a chance encounter or destiny? Whatever it is, this message was the beginning of a wonderful story.

Mademoiselle L

One of my hobbies? Changing dreams into reality.  My enthusiasm, positivism and determination started to make me realize all the tools, assets and knowledge I needed to become the businesswoman I always wanted to be.

I started studying Economical and Social sciences in High school. I love Communication and Marketing studies, therefore I pursue my studies in that direction and started a bachelor degree. I did the first 2 years in my hometown and did the last year in the Netherlands where I specialized in International Communication and got inspired by the field! It just wasn’t enough for the workaholic that I am! Something was missing… Therefore, I went back to France and started a master in International business and management.

Studying is the basic but I wanted more! So each year, I joined different type of organizations in order to test my ability to: manage projects, people and time, organize myself, multi task and work under pressure as well as build my personal network. 

Today, I started my own nonprofit organization in fashion. Next to that, I work as a real estate agent: the best way to learn hardcore techniques in sales and negotiation… But passion is missing… Starting this organization helps me to keep my passion alive. But again… This is just not enough for me…

I have the opportunity to meet wonderful, smart and passionate people part of the fashion industry. I decided to spread the word through my personal network that I would love to put my knowledge and expertise at the service of a brand with a real spirit, another way to get closer to my dream…

Mademoiselle A

French, Obstinate, Independent, Love food and wine, Is a music addicted, Has really bad jokes, Laughs a lot.

I am a fashion designer, with a specialization in the Lingerie market. I have a fashion designer/pattern maker diploma from ESMOD Paris.

One year ago, I found myself stuck in Parisian traffic everyday with a really stressful and low-paying job, a monster of a boss, more than white skin (almost transparent) and huge dark circles (yes, this is the real life for a 24-year-old fashion designer in Paris, not glamorous at all…).

And one day, the opportunity to have a job in Miami crossed my path.... Needless to say, two months later I was on a plane!

I don’t know if Miami is inspiring, or if simply changing the direction of my life did it, but shortly after I arrived I started to think about having my own business.

The concept of Lil’B was growing in my head and after a months of disappointments, heartache and finally joyfulness, I was done with my business plan. Lil’b was finally more than just an idea in my head, all I needed to do was to find someone as crazy as me to go ahead.

The Concept : Lil'B

Aren’t you tired of the big Lingerie industry monsters? Why does buying lingerie have to be so serious? Why does it feel impossible to find comfortable AND sensual lingerie? Why is it a pain for my boyfriend to go into a Lingerie store?

For French women it is astounding to see how poor the Lingerie market is in the USA. We are used to having hundreds of different brands with different qualities, prices, styles at our disposal when shopping for lingerie…

We have discovered that the Lingerie image in the USA is really negative, boring, and complicated.

We believe that there is a market for women who want to buy Lingerie and have fun. And, most importantly, a market for a new kind of lingerie that makes you feel fashion forward.

And everybody knows how greedy women are…

Lil’B proposes to mix and match Lingerie and Candy inspirations; combining colors, packaging, and shapes... This is a playful and funny concept that retains imaginative yet affordable products. It will be a store model and also online sales.

The brand will propose a collection of lingerie, home-wear, hosieries and accessorizes in fresh and funny colors reminiscent of candies. Each product will have a special packaging in different themes ; ice-creams, lollipops, milkshakes…

Candies, gums and treats will be proposed in the same type of color corresponding to the lingerie collection.

The overall spirit is a positive concept for adults customers who wants to have a break from the serious act of consuming.

Welcome to Lil’B world!!