They’ve got round bags…

If you're familiar with Papa Pique et Maman Coud, you know how much we love involving our community in our creative projects.

It all started when our shop teams suggested launching a creative activity to engage our loyal customers and crafty fans.

Just as we were wondering what, when and how, we were contacted by a Rennes-based start-up called La Boutonnière—and their idea was spot on. They suggested a creative competition, where participants could step into our shoes and imagine an accessory in true PPMC style.

The brief was clear: design a small handbag for girls aged 2 to 8, that could be carried by hand or worn over the shoulder.
Once the bags were made, they were shared on a dedicated website, and the creators invited their communities to vote via social media.

A PPMC jury then had the task of selecting a winner from the 30 most-voted designs. That’s how Hélène’s round bag was chosen, alongside four other favorites.

At the end of August, we had the pleasure of welcoming Hélène to our headquarters in Saint-Philibert. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet the creator behind the winning design and share more about our company.

Hélène has been passionate about sewing for nearly 20 years and told us that since having her own sewing room, she’s been even more inspired to create.

She’s not a fan of repeating the same model over and over again—she loves inventing new ideas and paying attention to fine details. And it shows! Her prototype was beautifully made.

She actually entered the contest thanks to a friend who encouraged her. Despite a busy schedule (she’s a midwife and mum to five children!), she managed to find a few hours to dive into the challenge.

"The hardest part was figuring out the design. Once I had the idea, the sewing part was pretty quick," she told us.

Throughout the two-week competition, she enjoyed following the vote count. On the day we announced the winner, she found out the results after work—just in time to prove her skeptical husband wrong

After a few technical tweaks (adjusting the size, handles, etc.), the round bag was brought to life in our workshop.
Even though it’s no longer available for purchase, it remains a lovely example of co-creation and a treasured part of our brand’s story.

This project showed us that with passion, creativity, and community, we can build meaningful designs together—ones that leave lasting memories.

Did you spot the round bag when it launched? Would you be interested in joining a future creative challenge with us?