GL: Tell us a little bit about you.
FC: I am the founder of Camille & Company, a womenswear and homewares brand based in Greenwich and Jaipur, India. I’m a Greenwich native who spent my college years studying art and design at the University of Redlands in Southern California. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I knew from a young age that I wanted to have my own business. I never subscribed to just one path, I always felt like I could be ‘many things’, all at once. While building what would become Camille & Co, I took on multiple day jobs, went back to school, got married, and helped my husband open a restaurant. Needless to say, I thrive on chaos.
GL: Why did you start your company?
FC: I started Camille & Co in 2021 as a fresh approach to my existing background in textiles and design. I have spent the past 10 years traveling to India and establishing connections with multi-generational artisan communities, specifically with block printers and handloom weavers. It is a country of sharp contrasts, beauty, grit, and extraordinary history that can be seen and felt everywhere. Whether it’s the landscape, the architecture, or the spirit of its people, the country has always been a source of inspiration for me.
GL: Tell us how you came up with the name for the brand.
FC: Camille & Company is named after my late grandmother, Camille D’Alessandro. She was the epitome of chic, and I wanted my brand to reflect timeless and effortless style. I also loved the idea of creating a sense of heritage and keeping the generational spirit alive, much like the communities of artisans I partner with.
GL: What makes your business unique?
FC: We are dedicated to true sustainability. All of our textiles are sourced by me personally. I seek out naturally dyed waste fabric that would otherwise end up in a landfill or burned. When we create new textiles, we use vegetable dyes and traditional dying methods, which involve zero toxic chemicals and rely on natural resources like the sun, wind, and rain to aid in the process. The end product is a completely unique and one-of-a-kind item that you won’t find anywhere else. And because I source rare fabrics, many of our products are made in extremely small quantities.
Next year, I’ll be partnering with a new community of artisans that I’m particularly excited about. As an all-women team, they are collecting waste fabric, breaking it down, and creating new yarn that is then spun onto spools, and eventually used on their handlooms to create new textile blends. I travel to India once a year, not just because I love to visit, but because I visit and meet with everyone on our production team. From our block printers in the desert villages of Rajasthan, to our sewing team in Bangalore, to our handloom weavers in Maheshwar on
the Narmada River.
GL: How do you balance mom life and your business?
FC: Being a new mom, I feel truly blessed to be able to work from home and have flexibility around my work schedule. It has allowed me to do my job while also being fully present in these early days of childhood. Having my meetings late at night actually works to my advantage now!
GL: What's next for Camille and Co?
FC: In 2023, we will be expanding in all directions. I am most excited about our new home collections. We will expand into bedding, quilts, and cushions. We will also be creating more clothing collections, including lots of great effortless dresses for the summertime.
@shopcamille.co | shopcamilleandcompany.com
Camille & Company is a womenswear and homewares brand based in Greenwich and Jaipur, India founded by Francesca Carpenteri. The brand is dedicated to true sustainability. The company creates new textiles, using vegetable dyes and traditional dying methods, which involve zero toxic chemicals and rely on natural resources like the sun, wind, and rain to aid in the process.