This is the story of a blog like no other . A men's fashion blog born in the late 2000s, at a time when Instagram did not exist and jeans were worn so tight that they almost cut off circulation to the legs.
Since its creation in 2007, BonneGueule has grown significantly: today it is a sustainable brand that can be found on the web but also in nine stores across France . Clothes “that wear you”, as the slogan says, designed and imagined with the know-how that has always been acclaimed and highlighted on this famous blog like no other.
However, it has been a while since we stopped talking about “blog”, but about “media”. Because in 2023, BonneGueule is no longer just about articles to help men dress well . It's videos, podcasts, guides, reports... If the first mission was quite simply to help men feel good in their clothes, it has today evolved into an even more comprehensive objective
Many of you tell us this on a daily basis: it is thanks to this blog that you developed a taste for clothing , discovered your style, found self-confidence, learned so many things...
The only thing is: for some time now, several events have meant that the media has had to evolve .
A survey to identify your desires and needs
You have experienced this change with us. And because we have, over the years, managed to build a magnificent community of clothing fans , taking your opinion into consideration is an exercise that we value.
At the end of 2022, driven by the need to maintain this precious link with you, our readers, we sent you a survey to take stock of your desires and thoughts regarding the media . For what ? Because on our side, a lot of things were changing internally and audiences were in free fall (for technical reasons, among others, but not only that). And that the best way to ensure the right direction to take was by questioning those who read us, listen, watch, support .
I would like to particularly thank Jérôme for the titanic work he did to collect your responses and summarize them for us. Working at BonneGueule means being surrounded by caring, supportive colleagues who are always ready to help you. I realize this every day but in this specific case, I really want to highlight the investment of Jérôme (Jéjé for short) (just kidding, he hates it when I nickname him that) on this subject.
An extract from the survey
The results of this survey were more than informative and helped to implement the new editorial strategy or, in some cases, refine it. I'd like to tell you that it all came together overnight, but if you're a loyal reader, you know that's not true. It's actually a gigantic task that takes time - especially since we don't want to rush it! But before going into details, I have to give you a little context... And do it in complete transparency, as BonneGueule has always done. This will help you, I hope, to better understand what is happening on the media side .
Concretely, what has happened in recent months?
A media/brand merger on the site
I arrived at BonneGueule on February 1, 2022 as a journalist, specializing in women's fashion topics. I then joined a team led by the editor-in-chief Christophe , and made up of several editors: Benoît (our co-founder), David , Jérôme , Nicolo and Quentin (as well as a handful of freelancers). Jordan had already moved on to the marketing side, but continued to shoot issues of Panache (video format that you love) for the editorial. In short, we were a great team, very united and productive , with a rhythm of three/four publications per week, a regular podcast and numerous videos.
Everything took a very different turn last fall, after two more or less related events:
- the merger on the same site of the blog/media with the brand's e-shop
- decision-making within management which completely changed the editorial team.
Benoit briefly told you all this in his 2023 review articles , and I would therefore like to quote it to give you context:
“In terms of figures, the proportion of media traffic to the e-shop was far too small compared to our overall traffic, which is why Geoffrey had been thinking about merging the two for several years. But it wasn't enough. I wanted an editorial more aligned with our brand, more refocused, because I found that on our clothes, there was a wonderful area of expression that we weren't exploring enough. And that meant making a major change in the history of BonneGueule: putting the editorial division, which was directly under my responsibility, into the marketing division.”
Benoît, co-founder:
“In my review article, I said that merging the media and the brand had been a difficult decision. It still is, but in hindsight, I think it was the best thing to do .
When I look back, I find it hard to believe that we lived almost 10 years with two different websites, one for the brand and one for the media. It doesn't make sense when you want to have a clear positioning.
So of course, there are still plenty of things to improve and review, but BonneGueule, ultimately, is like life: there are sometimes unforeseen events, plans that don't go quite as planned , and... The important thing is to try things and continue to learn.
This is something that I have often repeated in meetings: if we don't test anything, if we don't try anything, and if we never make a mistake, then nothing more happens . On the other hand, it is very important to quickly learn lessons from what worked and what did not work. And I think that's what we did, and continue to do with this response.
The advantage is that we now have a tool that is flexible enough to be able to reorganize our content , something that was very complicated with our aging Wordpress platform."
Departures and new organization
Benoît therefore made the very difficult choice to separate from Christophe. This disrupted a lot of things , especially since there were already fewer of us because Nicolo had just left to go freelance. A reorganization was quickly put in place and almost all editorial positions were changed:
- Jérôme got news
CRM side functions (it is now he who signs all our newsletters with talent and involvement) - David became community manager (but he left for new adventures at the end of the year at De Bonne Facture)
- Yann, a newly arrived editorial student, has been reassigned
on SEO missions - Jordan acted as editorial manager during these few months of uncertainty - but his busy schedule at the time prevented him from devoting himself to the creation of content including…. Panache videos!
- For my part, I kept my position but left women's fashion topics to devote myself exclusively to men's fashion.
At the same time, Benoit had to significantly slow down or even suspend his participation in content in order to manage other subjects within the company - notably the recruitment of a future CEO (he fortunately found the time to resume, in beginning of 2023, the series of review articles that I cited above).
Result of the races? As 2023 dawned, the editorial staff remained myself (hello, delighted) and Quentin, our work-study student navigating between his classes and the office. I'm bad at maths but to put it clearly, the media was then made up of one and a half people: it was therefore logical that we could no longer have the same rhythm
But just as BonneGueule has never been a blog like the others, it has never been a company like the others either. Let me continue this (long) story.
A new path
Mutual aid and new strengths
On February 1, 2023, exactly the day of my 1 year at BonneGueule, I became Editorial Content Manager . Jordan passed the torch to me in order to refocus on a new mission which will allow him, among other things, to create more content (and yes, I see you coming, Panache is part of it 😄): he is now Creative and Brand Manager Thrilled.
For my part, I knew that accepting this new position was a big responsibility, that there would be (very) many things to put in place , and that it was not going to be a piece of cake - especially because of our workforce. reduced to the media and, therefore, content production significantly slowed down.
Fortunately, at BonneGueule, there is this very cool thing called mutual aid . As I told you a few paragraphs ago, it's not a company like any other. So, faced with this delicate period in the media, several colleagues came to help. Marketing apprentices always volunteer to participate in articles or re-package old guides that need to be updated (Yann, Quentin, Camille, Romane, thank you!); Michel, capable of writing a presentation article with perfection and lightning speed while listening to electro loudly ; Cécile, Digital Marketing Manager for whom SEO has no secrets ; Florian, the Marketing Director who immediately accompanied me for this new chapter of the media (and never blames me when I roll my eyes whenever someone talks to me about figures!); Antoine G, who generously shares his fashion knowledge in our articles whenever we need it…
Jordan, for his part, reinvented Panache in a shorter version for social networks , while waiting to free up time to be able to resume long formats on YouTube. Oh, and he recently picked up his pen again, too, to deliver a Shooting Notebook, aka behind the scenes of a lookbook created for our spring collection. It can be found right here .
The photo illustration from the Shooting Notebook
Finally, Matthias, former boutique advisor in Nantes, joined my team last month as Community Manager. A key position designed, among other things, to offer you new short formats on the networks. Among them, for example, “Patine Story” - in which a reader tells us about his BonneGueule garment which has a story.
A new site to rework
Here is another very important point to discuss: our new site . I won't spend hours on it, because it's a technical subject that goes beyond my area of expertise, but also because Benoît and Florian are preparing a complete article on it for you .
What I can assure you, however, is that its implementation was laborious and that due to numerous bugs, the media part suffered quite a bit. The good news is that the subject is taken very seriously and that many of the problems that have been raised are being resolved. Our short-term wish? May your experience be as pleasant as possible when you come to read our articles!
With Florian, marketing director, we are also working on a new menu with more simplified sections for the media . The idea? Giving you the easiest possible access to the information you are looking for and the advice you need , whether you are a beginner looking for your style, a fashion enthusiast or a true expert who wants to go even further.
Also, it will soon be easier for you to find articles related to specific subjects , by typing a few keywords in the search bar. Our site is full of detailed articles and in-depth guides on men's clothing, and more. These are unfortunately a bit hidden and complicated to find at the moment . But that will soon be history!
Come on, a little teaser... Here's a model of the media's future menu!
Florian, Marketing Director:
"As Nawal told you, we based ourselves on your expectations to work on this new editorial line by adding our desires to continue to surprise you . As the first employee of the BonneGueule adventure and returned to the team for a year, I have made it an almost personal subject to recreate a bond with you. It's like a romantic relationship, you have to know how to maintain the flame .
I know that you really liked the educational side of the old site to easily find the information you want. And you're right, so are we. We made a mistake in wanting to present our content to you like a classic site . We will fix it… I’ll explain!
Currently, we have a library-style organization of sections which is the opposite of intuitive navigation. Basically, being able to easily and quickly find an article, a video or a podcast is not easy. This is a source of frustration for you, and for me first and foremost. With Nawal and the team, our objective over the coming weeks is on two levels :
- Level 1 : Nawal talked about it just above, I think you understand the principle. You see when you type keywords or a question into Google and find related articles. Well, we want to do the same thing with our content library. Well, you will have to be lenient at the beginning and above all not hesitate to bring it back to us so that we can remove any possible holes in the racket. It's not AI, the settings are done manually 😉. You understand: if you search for “denim guide”, you must be able to find articles on this topic in one click.
- Level 2 : the sections of the site when you hover over “Media” from your computer or in the form of scrolling screens on mobile. Vast subject… We want to simplify it while taking into account the SEO constraints we have . Basically, having good practices to have good natural referencing on which the success of BonneGueule is based!
Below, a working draft on the reorganization of the Media menu.
The final word : the title “Marketing Director” may seem antithetical to the media. “They will still try to sell me their products.” And I kind of wanted to answer it because I read all the comments since we launched on the new site (of which the current team was not involved), it weighed heavily on me not to be able to answer them by concrete . This is the subject of this article written from the heart by Nawal.
In short, all that to tell you… Here is how I often present BonneGueule in its entirety. For me, it's the journey to the heart of clothing / The (re)discovery of clothing . A media written by enthusiasts who help you fall in love with beautiful materials, to appreciate the details that only the initiated notice. It is also a travel diary to understand style before finding your own . Yes, it's not the destination that matters, it's the journey...
And of course, if you love traveling, you will appreciate the memories our clothes will leave you with. No, we're not trying to turn it upside down on you, quite the contrary. Our approach is always sincere! "
What we have already put in place on the media
These last few months have been intense but productive! Following your responses to the survey conducted by Jérôme, we have prioritized some of your requests in terms of content . So, we have taken formats that you particularly appreciate, evolved others to better meet your expectations and, also, started to launch new things.
Alongside all of this, we also had to be very reactive regarding audience drops. These being partly linked to SEO questions , our Marketing Manager Cécile supported me in setting up a time-consuming but very useful project.
Let me break it all down for you.
New releases, repeats and developments
- A more “business & behind the scenes fashion” oriented podcast - Our podcast “Let's Talk Clothes” , available on all streaming platforms, has had a makeover. After dozens of “round table” issues where members of the editorial team talked about their relationship with clothes, the time had come to open the conversation to other guests and outsiders. This is how we recorded an episode with Geoffrey, co-founder of BonneGueule, who talks about his burnout. More recently, we offered you an issue with the explorer Nico Mathieux.
- Know-how reports - Sleek videos in which we take you to meet those who make your clothes. Materials, machines, factories and hands that work the fabric to enhance your wardrobe. For example, we went to film in Alsace at Velcorex , the only and last factory that produces velvet in France.
- The return of the “Dans le Vestiaire De” videos - It was my favorite format even before joining BonneGueule, so if you only knew how happy I am to host it. The concept is always the same: you discover a guest through their wardrobe and their relationship to clothing. After Nico Mathieux, our next guest will be fashion fan and content creator Kevin Tips Style. Teaser: the video is coming out very soon…
- Cover of Panache (in a shortened version) - For now, Jordan deciphers his outfits for you in social media version, on TikTok and Instagram. But I promise, the long version will come back soon!
- Resumption of inspirational articles with recommendations from the teams - I'll tell you more about them below.
- Practical articles with advice - What are all the possible alterations to pants or jeans ? What pieces should you rely on to make the transition between winter and spring ? In short, good old advice articles as you like them,
- Team shoots - Members of the BonneGueule team pose with clothing from the brand mixed with their personal pieces, to show how to make it your own, whatever your style. In recent weeks, we have featured the Nusco Parka and the new women's jeans .
A team shoot for the Nusco parka
- Articles that question trends - Here, we ask ourselves a frank question about a piece of clothing or an accessory. For example… will the gray sneaker dethrone the popular white sneaker ?
- More personal posts - Formerly grouped under the name “Carte Blanche”, these are embodied articles (highly requested in the survey!) in which we tell you about personal experiences related to clothing. Quentin, about ten days ago, told the story of how integrating a pimp into his wardrobe transformed his style .
- The shooting notebook - This is a super cool idea from Jordan. A logbook in which he tells everything that happens behind a shooting, with supporting anecdotes and images. The first can be found right here .
Shadow work...
Much less visible and “new” than the content above, there is the “evergreen project” set up by Cécile, designed to bring us up to speed on the SEO side and, therefore, on the audience side. The goal: to “re-package” old articles (some are more than 10 years old, yes yes) on timeless and still useful subjects (basics for men, our wedding guides, etc.). Re-packaging means updating and editing the text, photos, titles, links... it doesn't seem like much, but it takes a lot of time.
Concretely, this helps to improve the site’s SEO on search engines . We find another interest there: that of updating advice articles... so some advice has sometimes aged a little badly 😄! This is also an opportunity to update several articles and guides with more current photos, even more cutting-edge and up-to-date brands... once again, to make reading more enjoyable for you . Updating articles was one of your requests in the survey - so it goes!
In short, it's painstaking work which takes a lot of time but which is extremely important, but which is not necessarily visible to you, readers . I would like to take this opportunity to thank Yann, Quentin and Camille for their great help on this project.
What we are preparing for you…
If we had to summarize our guideline for the rest of the media, it would be in four words: advice, inspiration, discovery, transparency . Let’s move on to teasing what we’re actively working on.
The best possible advice
Rest assured: men's fashion advice will forever remain at the heart of our media. More than anything, we want to offer you practical guides and sound advice to help you dress well and find your style , and more!
Another new feature which, I think, will interest more than one person: Benoît, a big fan of gear and techwear, has plenty of topics to publish for you on these cutting-edge subjects which combine clothing, outdoor and technical aspects . He prepares exciting articles and guides for you!
Benoît on a hike
We also prepare tutorials for you, whether to learn how to tie a tie or sew on a button , or to recognize the quality of a garment.
And besides… If I tell you tattoos, hair, decoration… Would you be interested in this type of more “lifestyle” subject, always under the prism of advice? On your keyboards, tell us in the comments 😊
Inspiration galore
We obviously want to continue to inspire you with articles and videos about men's fashion and clothing - and that's also your request.
In his survey, Jérôme also highlighted “ a strong demand for looks and inspiration : respondents want to project themselves more easily into the clothes that are shown to them, with a wide choice of possibilities ( style, colors, associations, morphologies ) through (more than) photos or videos”. Please note that this is also well noted.
Moreover, in addition to the Panache videos, we have put together a page which will bring together our lookbooks in order to draw inspiration for outfits. With Jordan, I am also working on the resumption of the “One look, one day” format: this will be the subject of a monthly article with everyday looks from our teams deciphered in detail ( we also have a magnificent in-house studio ), as well as a newsletter purely focused on the site that Jordan will sign for you.
Jordan
A new format called “Style Clinic” designed for social networks (Instagram, TikTok and Youtube Shorts), which tends to answer your style questions , is also in the pipeline.
We also have shorter, sassy and unexpected articles for you on pieces and/or fashion trends that are out of the ordinary, portraits of people with inspiring style... Lots of things that will make you want to dress and be yourself .
On the social media side, we are starting to highlight certain members of our community on Instagram, by sharing YOUR looks. Because if our slogan is “clothes that wear you”, nothing gives us more pleasure than to see YOU wearing our clothes .
Our behind the scenes, always without filter
We will continue to share with you behind the scenes of our media and our brand , with ever greater transparency and honesty. Our daily life, our thoughts, our difficulties, our successes... This is a part that will be embodied by Benoît, whose speeches you particularly appreciate on the reality of the entrepreneurial profession . These are also subjects that we will develop, of course, in the podcast as well.
What about recommendations from other brands?
For years, BonneGueule offered you “brand test” articles as well as factsheets which summarized the history of a brand and the opinions of our teams on its products .
In addition to this, editors participated in a regular article format called “Les Pépites de la Rédaction”. In these papers, the reader saw listed clothes and accessories that the BonneGueule teams liked and/or liked. The opportunity to discover new brands.
On the video side, Jordan has always integrated diverse and varied brands into his Panache outfits. This was also the case for David and I when we hosted the Twist format, in which we presented themes in looks for men and women .
As you have noticed (and in some cases, lamented 😅), we no longer publish articles in which we test brands and we now limit the highlighting of other brands in general. However, this is a request from 35% of you in the survey. Let's be honest: it's a huge subject internally , which we often talk about and on which opinions decide. So, the person who will best explain this new position to you is quite simply Benoît, our co-founder.
Benoît, co-founder:
"Ah, the subject of the visibility of other brands, it's one of the questions that worked for me the most in 2022! Indeed, I wanted to tighten up the content around our brand to clarify our positioning , and to finally bury once and for all this impression that we did not assume to be a “real” clothing brand This impression that we did not dare mention the brand too much in our columns, outside of the presentation articles,. for fear of being reproached .
There was also a second, much more personal point that motivated my choice: I felt a certain weariness of talking again and again about yet another brand that is launching “short circuit” by promising “timeless basics”. We've been doing this at BonneGueule for almost 15 years, and I was just... sick of it.
Now, you all know how to find your basics (and we continue to update many articles to help you do so!). For most of you, this has already been done for several years. And I can proudly say that BonneGueule has greatly helped to highlight many of these brands.
In a sense, it's quite a success . Because I started BonneGueule in 2007, I dreamed of a men's clothing market with more choice, better quality/price ratio, and more explanations on the product.
Today, and 15 years later, my wish has come true, and BonneGueule has largely contributed to it. So I think that you no longer want to read a test of fitted chinos on BonneGueule, but rather to discover more niche, more inspiring, more high-end brands , not necessarily distributed in France.
BonneGueule, there is this taste for roughness and relief in our fabrics, but ultimately, we have this taste for simple singularity . And now, if I have to talk about other brands, I want it to be brands in this vein.
So to summarize, what I said in the editorial meeting was: “Talk about other brands if you want, but make me dream of niche labels, that I don't necessarily know, and that have a truly unique proposition, not found elsewhere.” (And for those who still haven't built up our wardrobe of basics, you'll find what you're looking for here : we haven't forgotten you!).
To support Benoît's words, and with this desire to talk to you about clothing from other brands in another way , know that we recently launched a new type of articles in the same spirit as the Nuggets of the Editorial Team . In “What we want to wear” , which will be available throughout the seasons, events and themes, everyone can participate: editors, yes, but not only that! The idea here is to inspire you, to introduce you to new brands or, quite simply, to talk about the clothing itself, regardless of its label.
Finally, another format highlighting brands we love (for their quality, style and know-how) is also in the pipeline!
The final word
Yes, I know, it was all very long - but totally transparent, and in my opinion, really necessary. One thing is certain: great things are already in place, and more are coming . We promise you that.
In the meantime, do not hesitate to subscribe to our newsletter to follow our news if you have not already done so: the registration form is at the bottom of this page.
