Exclusive Interview with Nam Pham, Founder of PPMC

It all started with a 1m² stand at local markets in Vendée. I was making and selling handmade fabric hair clips to help pay for my architecture studies. Every summer for 10 years, I repeated the same routine: buy fabric in the morning, make the clips in the afternoon, and sell them throughout the season.

My creations quickly gained a loyal following, especially among Parisian holidaymakers. After a few years in Vendée and Brittany, we settled on the Breton coast following the birth of our first child. We kept selling at local markets and opened our first seasonal shop in Quiberon in 1993, followed by boutiques in Carnac, Le Crouesty, and Belle-Île-en-Mer. In 1998, our first year-round boutique opened.

The success of these first shops encouraged me to keep going and 25 years later, we now have over 20 stores across France.

As a child, I was very hands-on. My grandmother taught me how to knit, and I was always making little fabric objects—clothing, bags, and accessories—for myself, my family, and my friends. Creativity surrounded me growing up, even though I was also drawn to more technical disciplines. I earned a science baccalauréat and began studying architecture in Nantes.

I chose architecture because it combined creativity and structure, but I quickly realized I needed faster-paced projects. So I returned to what I loved: creating accessories—and eventually launched the business. I also love challenges.

Everything! I’m still passionate about design, fabric sourcing, and developing new collections. I love discovering new prints at trade shows.
But I also enjoy the more technical side software, layout design, and logistics.

In 2014, we reimagined the interior design of our stores with a more urban look, working alongside a designer. That period allowed me to reconnect with my architectural roots.

To me, PPMC is like a big family. Some team members have been with us since the very beginning. We gather several times a year to make important decisions together—like choosing new prints. Some of my fondest memories are of those shared moments, especially the end-of-season celebrations. That’s my reward.

I also see PPMC as a bold brand we always strive to surprise our customers with unexpected prints. That’s part of our strength.

We have several approaches. Sometimes we design our own exclusive patterns. Other times, we rework existing ones changing colors, adapting scale to better suit our accessories.

Most often, we select prints from trade shows. For each season, we start with 200–300 pre-selected fabrics, which are reviewed at our workshop.
Our 56 employees then vote on their favorites. From the final 150, only 12 are chosen to create our two monthly collections. The input of our boutique teams is essential they receive direct feedback from customers and spot trends early.

Outsourcing production—especially in Asia—is often criticized, but I’m proud of the long-standing partnerships we’ve built. Our overseas workshops are truly part of the PPMC family.

Whether in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bulgaria, or Tunisia, we’ve worked with the same partners for over 25 years, creating around 100 jobs.

Our brand wouldn’t exist without this co-development. Each country has its own expertise:

• One of our Thai workshops specializes in hair clips

• Another in fans and parasols

• In the Philippines, artisans specialize in detailed painting techniques for our clips

• In Vietnam (my heritage), we have two workshops: one for hair accessories, the other for wallets

• In Tunisia and Bulgaria, we tap into their textile know-how.

This customizable bag includes a solid-colored organic cotton base and interchangeable flaps that zip on easily.
It allows customers to adapt their bag to any outfit reducing waste while encouraging creativity.

It’s our answer to modern consumption: reuse, personalize, and extend product life. I’m more in favor of green growth than forced degrowth.

The Sac & Zip bag is part of a long-term plan we launched in 2009 after an environmental audit inspired us to rethink our processes.

We partnered with a company in Laval that imports organic cotton from West Africa, then spins and weaves the fabric in France.

Our first carbon footprint report led us to implement concrete changes like choosing maritime transport for Asian production.
In France, sustainability is part of our DNA. We regularly hold team meetings to find actionable solutions, like reusable packaging.

With Les Bobines Créatives, I wanted to share my passion for fabrics and accessories with a DIY twist.

This new brand offers easy-to-use sewing kits focused on colorful prints, fabrics, and handmade fashion.
They were born from a customer demand for creative, beginner-friendly projects.

We started with 3 kits:

• Reusable makeup remover pads

• A face mask kit (in adult and child sizes)

• A scrunchie kit

Soon we’ll expand the line to include zero-waste home and lifestyle accessories.

This is our specialty: creating or sourcing bold, floral, geometric, or illustrated fabrics that resonate with our community just as they have for 25 years.

Each kit includes pre-cut fabric pieces, elastic, zippers, or straps plus a simple, illustrated tutorial in an elegant envelope.

They’re quick and easy to make no pattern needed. You can go straight to sewing! Projects take about 15–30 minutes.

In addition to the included tutorial, we’ve created step-by-step videos to help guide you so there’s no risk of messing up.

My goal is to create accessories that make everyday life easier while protecting the planet.
We’re committed to using quality materials organic cotton, Oeko-Tex-certified fabrics and to offering practical, zero-waste alternatives.

I'm thrilled to launch this new 100% Made in France project more precisely, Made in La Trinité-sur-Mer.
All our DIY kits are designed and assembled in our Brittany workshop, in the same family spirit as when PPMC first began.