After four years reaching her customers exclusively on Instagram, vintage seller Mylène Bizeul, owner of Bien Beau, has launched a website to expand her reach.

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With the social media platform’s recent shift to favour video-focused content, Mylène says it’s been increasingly difficult to get her products in front of her customers.

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She debuted her web shop in March 2022 as a home base for sales of her eclectic collection of secondhand home decor and artisanal creations.

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Mylène, who has over 10,000 followers on Instagram, now uses the platform as a marketing tool to drive traffic to her website.

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“It is less and less easy with Instagram to have a good algorithm that brings views and potential sales,” Mylène says. “[It’s easier] for my followers to see all my inventory available, and choose what they are looking for in just a few clicks.”

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Shoppers can browse by colour, price, product or style to find tableware, lighting, linens, and art and decor.

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Mylène gravitates towards midcentury pieces, artisanal Quebec-made pottery, and 1980s Art Deco and Memphis design. It’s a collection she calls “quite eclectic. I love mixing different styles and colours and think it’s the key to have a truly personalized home decor.”

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Developing the site was a worthy creative pursuit after two years of pandemic life — one that Mylène says pushes her to continue growing her business, which she operates out of a studio in her Montreal apartment.

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It also inspired her to offer shipping across Canada — a new venture for Bien Beau after only offering local pickup since 2017 — and to start a newsletter to keep her customers aware of new arrivals and special discounts.

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“I always wanted affordable prices to compete with ‘fast decor’ and to bring more people to consume vintage,” Mylène says. “The more ethical, local and sustainable, the better it is!”

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As a former visual merchandiser, Mylène has a keen interest in interior design, and offers styling services such as consulting, coaching, organization and product rentals.

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Also featured on the website are upcycled and new pieces handmade by Mylène, including pressed flowers on artisanal paper in vintage frames and candles in vintage vessels. When Mylène couldn’t find affordable throw pillows with interesting shapes, she started making her own covered in velvet or bouclé fabrics.

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“Creating them is a big moment of calm, focus and creation for me,” she says of her crafts.

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For now, managing the website and her styling services keep Mylène busy, but she looks forward to the next phase of Bien Beau. “My dream after the e-shop would be a little retail shop in my neighbourhood in Montreal,” she says.

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What channels do you use to reach your audience? Let us know in the comments below!

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