The French Riviera, also known as the Côte d'Azur, is a dreamy stretch of coastline along the southeastern corner of France that captivated me during my 1st trip to Cannes, Nice and Marseilles many years ago.
The southeast region of France includes Provence, a region of excellence for rosé. 2.5 Hours north of the Côte d'Azur, Provence produces more than 80% of rosé wines. The pale pink hued wine is one of my favorites. In celebration of National Women’s Small Business Month, I wanted to raise a glass to Côtes de Femme founder, Kristin Bernard.
The Pink Girls Run The World (PGRW) movement is all about using our platform to reinforce the voices of women around the globe. I love how Bernard’s wine label collaborates with other woman owned businesses and was excited about the opportunity to chat with Bernard about travel, her brand and disrupting spaces.
PGRW: Can you share the story behind the creation of Côtes de Femme?
Bernard: Côtes de Femme (Pronounced: Coat-de Fem) translates sides of woman, representing the many shapes, curves, tones, and types of women. When I founded Côtes de Femme in August of 2019, as a Certified Woman-Owned wine and lifestyle brand, I wanted to create a product that empowered and uplifted all women. My wine journey began years ago. When my husband, Andy, and I were a young married couple with young children, we didn’t have the means to have many date nights or travel. When we would go on dates, I would order a glass of wine and Andy would order a soft drink. Andy will tell you he wanted to be a better date, so he bought a book to learn more about wine. We began to learn and “travel the world” through wine.
PGRW: I love your packaging. How would you describe the style of your brand, and are there any specific influences that guide the Côtes de Femme winemaking process?
Bernard: Our packaging was very important to me when creating Côtes de Femme and definitely celebrates our motto of “Live Extra”. We all judge a book by its cover when it comes to wine labels. I wanted a bottle that stood out in the shelf. Every bottle of Côtes de Femme comes with our patented BLING on the neck of the bottle that you remove and use to decorate your stemware. The bottle definitely grabs your attention but as you know, looks will only get you a first date...what is beautiful on the inside earns you a second date. We also put a lot of time and research into carefully crafted wine blends. Of course, our packing also includes our logo. I commissioned an artist named Elena Nomchencova. What I love about line art is that it is non-specific. There is no age, skin tone, or even gender. I wanted anyone to look at that image and say, “Oh that’s me! When I have a glass of wine in my hand, I feel empowered and uplifted.”
PGRW: Have you encountered any unique challenges as a woman in the wine industry, and how have you navigated them?
Bernard: I did not set out to be a disruptor in the Wine Industry. I set out to create a wine brand that celebrated the experience that a person imagines when they are faced with a display of so many wine labels on the shelf. As our approach to sales and marketing is quite different, we are not always appreciated by the “old-guard” of wholesalers and some retailers (who have been doing things the same way for so many years). Celebrating, curating, and projecting our customer’s future experience with our bottle; we take them to their next great gathering with friends and family. We specifically want to navigate the industry with extending our family to theirs. We want to extend our love story to include others. When I created Côtes de Femme, I had no idea that a woman owning a wine brand was rare. Even today, less than 5% of the ENTIRE alcoholic beverage industry are women and minorities.
PGRW: How do you collaborate with other women in the wine industry, and how has being a part of this community influenced your label’s growth and success?
Bernard: I love getting to know other women in the wine industry. I have found that it is a community that truly uplifts and helps each other. We cheer each other on, share in our troubles and challenges, and celebrate each other’s achievements. I have also enjoyed collaborating with other women-owned businesses to promote and celebrate each other. Most recently we have collaborated with a brand that promotes women’s sexual health. We also collaborated with a fashion designer to celebrate the launch of her newest line. Our Rosé made it all the way back to France for Paris Fashion Week! Myfavorite collaborations and sponsorships support issues that are important to women and empower women. From fundraisers for Breast Cancer Research, or the Boys &Girls Club, to sponsoring an entire Rosé Ball for women and children’s charities, we love giving back to something that is so much bigger than us. One of our favorite organizations that we continue to support is Dress for Success. This organization provides business attire and educational resources to empower and prepare women to enter the workplace. I believe today’s consumer is smart and mission minded. They want to know their purchases have a deeper meaning. They are supporting causes, and authentic brands, that are meaningful to their heart.
PGRW: When you are not working on your brand, what is yourfavorite place to travel to for relaxing and unwinding?
Bernard: I love the ocean and any place I can put my toes in the sand. Our business involves alot of travel. We travel the country for events and meeting with potential clients. We also travel to Southern France each year after harvest to create our Côtes de Femme Rosé. We have found a way to do what we love...travel, meet amazing people, andcreate wine. We try to schedule time in different cities that we visitto try a new fun restaurant, do a little local shopping, and really take in the local culture. We have even curated our home to feel like a vacation getaway. Andy built a deck that overlooks the city that we have made to look like our favorite hotel rooftop bar. I am very lucky to be married to an amazing cook. For an evening at home, he creates a great meal and we enjoy a great bottle of wine on our little escape.
“Wine is a passport to the world” - Thom Elkjer