‘’I take inspiration from everything around me, from fashion to movies to music.’’
Camille is the founder and brand manager of the Belgian sports and athleisure brand RectoVerso (@rectoversosports). For Camille, every day is different, but her day starts just like the rest of us – with a cappuccino (with oat milk!).
Everyday Life
Running a brand like RectoVerso is a big responsibility and has a profound impact on everyday life. That’s exactly why Camille chooses to live in the moment and start her day off right.
Her busy schedule has her passing by the production department first to check on samples and orders, from which she moves on to managing her intern and following up on emails, among the many other things she has to check off her to-do list in a day. These busy days at the office are alternated with shoot days, events and pop-ups. We think it’s time for another cappuccino already, Camille!
Needless to say, sports are a big part of Camille’s life. She plays soccer 3 times a week and because of the pandemic, she has now discovered new sports that ignite her passion, which include cycling, paddeling, and tennis.
Camille is also big on family. With her 3 brothers, and friends, she loves to play volleyball at home. A family-centered businesswoman, with a love for sports and fashion: Camille is an inspiration to many of us. But what inspires her personally?
Inspiration
‘’I get inspired by everything around me, from fashion to movies and music. I look up to top athletes and people who do social work.’’
Female top athletes inspire her often, both at work as in her personal life, where RectoVerso is focused on performance improving athleisure.
Sustainability
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important, and the same is true in fashion. Camille is very much aware of how we can all contribute to a healthier planet by the personal choices we make.
‘’I am a ‘flexitarian’, a very fancy word that actually means that I will never prepare meat myself or choose meat at a restaurant, but I will eat it if I am going to dine with people for example.
In this way I try to reduce my meat consumption. Ditto for fish, I eat 80% vegetarian.’’
She also tries to eat vegan occasionally and chooses plant-based milk over dairy milk. Furthermore, she consciously buys from local brands or brands that are effectively sustainable.
Career
Despite the successful career path she has followed for many years, there is one day that stands out in particular:
‘’The day Princess Elisabeth was spotted in our leggings and was featured on the front page everywhere. Our webshop exploded and we were bombarded with press requests.’’
While this was a big moment for her, Camille mostly lives from day to day and takes everything that comes her way. This also means that she doesn’t have specific plans for the future, but takes on things when they cross her path.
Camille also would like to share some words of encouragement with women who are looking to start a business in fashion themselves:
‘’There are lots of support organizations like Flanders DC and FIT that can really help you go far.
I also recommend to start slowly and grow along with the demand for your product. Furthermore: stick to your values. Sometimes, you will have to let opportunities pass you by, but in the long run it pays off. For example, we have turned down requests from major retailers because they did not fit in with our slow & sustainable fashion strategy.’’
Fashion
Camille takes a lot of pride in her wardrobe. Her Marylène Madou silk suit is the biggest eyecatcher in her closet. Her grandmother, Marie-Antoinette, was a very chic lady who was known for her extravagant yet very stylish clothing style, and this suit could have been hers.
Whenever she wears her Marylène Madou outfit, she feels just like a ‘Marie-Antoinette’. We love that personal story. Thank you for sharing that, Camille.
