The Beginnings..
​It all began with a little girl's question as to why designer jewellery was so expensive,
making it only affordable to celebrities. Did we have to be rich to dress well?
Shouldn't fashion be accessible to the everyone?
Don't we all deserve to be able to express ourselves through fashion?
Paired with the passion for all things handmade, and the dream to create affordable statement pieces,
there was no turning back from the age of 17... It started with "The Weekend Designer",
I held an events job and on weekends, I made stuff.
I started with quirky accessories, then moved on to creating bold, floral statement necklaces.
And then I decided to quit my events job and make this a full time job. It wasn't easy, it took a lot of self discipline
but soon it became a "thing".
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I was no longer a weekend designer, so I decided to change it to "Jeanine Gabrielle".
I then started making wedding bouquets, making fabric flowers from scratch, and I never looked back. It is not a job, it's my passion.
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Fast forward a couple of years, I went back to the F&B industry, but I couldn't stop creating things. In 2019, I moved on to handling weddings and I barely had time for my craft. And then in 2020, COVID19 happened and changed our lives completely. We were stuck in our homes and I got used to being at home.
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I had enjoyed making flowers, now the idea of crepe paper flowers sparked my curiosity. Since work was put on hold anyway, I fed my curiosity and after some time I decided to create "Le Petit Cadeau".
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"Le Petit Cadeau" is French for "The Little Gift".
A very similar sounding name is "Kado", and it is believed that those with the name Kado have a pure,
wild and fierce heart that is full of love.
I believe it is not about grand gestures, but all the little efforts we put in in every day life, no matter how small that truly makes the difference. Every little win in life should be celebrated, no matter how small.
And the simple act of reaching out to a friend having a hard time should not be underestimated.
Just waking up to a new day might be an accomplishment for someone.
Technology has taken over our lives, and many of us have forgotten how it feels like to receive a handwritten note
on a day when you're feeling down. I hope to change that. I hope to encourage you to reach out to your friends, even if it is just to let them know that you miss them, make someone's day with a little gift filled with lots of love. :)
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Fast forward to November 2020, I decided to go "back to my roots" and what is familiar for most of my customers. Handmade by Jeanine Gabrielle, the sentiment still stands tho.
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♡♡♡
Jeanine
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