Meeting with Valerie Rey-Robert

I was born in Romans sur Isère, I'm 46, I have a Masters in History and a DESS in Communication. I've been writing about feminism since 2001-2002. At the time, the web wasn't considered "serious", you had to go through paper. I used to write on féministes.net, and then I had what we call "the imposter complex."

Back in 2008, I needed a bubble of oxygen. So it didn't start out as a feminist blog; it gradually became one. I don't come from a feminist background at all. But I became one completely

(TW: violence and rape)

I didn't put a word in about feminism right away. When I was 18, I had relationships with men. I was in a hostel. I was living a real slut shaming as we say today. That year, I was raped. An "ideal" rape, by a stranger, with a knife. I felt no guilt. It was the reactions around me that made me feel guilty. They say, "You asked for it, you're lying". From then on, I told myself that it wasn't normal. But I didn't put the word feminism on my thoughts. Then in 1999, I went to the only feminist forum in France, called Les Chiennes de Garde.

I've just published a book ("Une culture du viol à la française", Libertalia), so I was obliged to use my real name for promotional reasons.

My mother was very passionate about fashion. And I am too. I'm passionate about vintage fashion, old fashion, and I love clothes from the 30s and 40s. Fashion is an eternal restart, and a lot of the codes of the '40s were revived in the '80s, for example. On Instagram, I only follow American fashion specialists from the 1930s and 1940s. After that, I subscribe to Facebook groups and check out what's on. I like to hunt at flea markets and flea markets.

I love this period because the shapes are so interesting. Broad shoulders, marked waists, fabrics that fall perfectly. I regret that today there are so few colors and prints.

I love: jewelry. I can never have too much jewelry. I like them massive. It's hard for me to limit myself!

It's hard for me to know if it's "too flashy" or not.  I love floral prints. I have a PASSION for pink. The one Jacquemus created is the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time!

I love Catherine Baba. In these rather dull times, she reminds me of a ray of sunshine.

You can't deny that historically, women have been pushed to dress a certain way. Ultimately, if we want to dress to please, it's to please men. And you have to detach yourself from that. It's also a waste of time and money. On the other hand, feminism isn't a battle that makes me feel good.

For me, fashion is an enchanted parenthesis. For me, there's no connection. On the other hand, when fashion turns to feminism, I call it "fashion". feminism washing

I think grossophobia is the most misunderstood form of discrimination. We hide it behind a health issue, but it's a very gendered discrimination, despite the fact that there are also fat men. Most people who undergo surgery are women. We mix up, I think, the body shaming with grossophobia. I've often been told, "We don't carry your size in the store." But I'm not fat. Today, the bodypositive movement has been reappropriated by vaguely curvy girls, but that's invisibilizing fat women. The other paradox is that the patriarchal injunction on beauty has been taken up in feminism, where we keep saying that everyone is beautiful. Isn't that hard? We have the right not to be "beautiful".

I experienced it this summer with my mother, who was very damaged by illness. It wasn't necessarily beautiful, you know. You get older, you lose weight. She had a swollen belly. You have to accept this body that isn't really your mother's anymore. It puts the idea of beauty into perspective.

An off-white Gucci coat worth around 2,500 euros (crazy). It's in wool, with a beautiful martingale, it's straight, sober, perfect.

Then, it's not really to put it on, but more to look at it, to touch it, it's a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe. There was an auction recently...

Well, it's not unobtainable, but vintage Yves Saint Laurent boots. And I'm cheating: as a bonus, I'd love to buy myself a big Maison Gripoix bracelet for Chanel, but it's going for crazy money!

I love 40s high-waisted shorts, but I wouldn't dare because it doesn't go with my age I think. I was talking on Twitter about a cardigan I had my eye on on a website, and in the end... On a 20-year-old girl, it's okay, but on me, it looks like Santa Claus is a scumbag!

Chez PouPoule, rue de Charonne and Mamz'Elle Swing too, rue du Roi de Sicile.

On Instagram I follow a lot of saleswomen too, so you can send me a little message if you need to. Finally, I also buy a lot on Vinted and Vestiaire Co.