STÉPHANIE// @momcandress
Originally from France, Stéphanie grew up with the tradition of community markets, known as vide-greniers (literally, "empty the attic"), where neighbors gather to pass along things they no longer need and discover unexpected treasures.
An environmental scientist by training, Stéphanie became acutely aware of the environmental and health impacts of our throwaway culture. Her sworn enemy has long been plastic, and in an effort to give the community a better alternative, she founded Berkeley's first refill shop, Fillgood.
For years, Fillgood has helped people reduce waste by making sustainable choices practical, beautiful, and enjoyable rather than overwhelming. Along the way, Stéphanie became convinced that lasting change doesn’t happen by guilt and shame, but by bringing people in and helping to reduce the complexity that can make doing the right thing difficult.
SARAH// @california_copenhagen
After moving to Copenhagen, Sarah discovered a different way of thinking about second-hand. It began when the furnished apartment she'd rented turned out to be... not so furnished. Living on a graduate student's budget, her Danish friends introduced her to storskrald ("big trash"), where unwanted furniture is left outside to be picked up and given a second life.
From there, she discovered Denmark's loppemarkeder (community flea markets), where neighbors buy and sell everything from furniture to designer clothing. She was captivated by a culture where beautifully made objects changed hands again and again, and where buying second-hand wasn't an alternative lifestyle. It was simply part of everyday life.
That experience inspired her graduate research and eventual career exploring how design, business, and community can shape more sustainable patterns of consumption. Since then, she has worked with organizations including Mistra Future Fashion, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Rent the Runway, H&M, and Deloitte.
Our paths converged at the playground, literally, but not in the way many parents meet in our neighborhood. We were both advocating for greener spaces for kids to play and learn. We also shared a passion for making more sustainable choices more accessible, and began wondering whether the neighborhood markets we loved in France and Denmark could thrive in California.
What began as a celebration of beautiful 2nd hand finds quickly became something more. People came not only to buy and sell, but to share stories, learn repair skills, meet local artisans, reconnect with neighbors, and simply spend time together.
That experience shaped Bon Marché Collective. At its heart, it’s a community.
Today, we bring people together through markets, repair labs, swaps, pop-ups, kids’ markets, and collaborations with local businesses, artisans, and community organizations. The events keep evolving, but the idea is simple: more ways to connect through repair, reuse, creativity, and the pleasure of sharing well-made things.