Atelier Virginie stands out for its unique creations, which combine authenticity, refinement and personal inspiration. Thanks to the quality of the raw materials she sources from Terre de Bougies, Virginie designs handcrafted candles that carry her own scent signature and showcase the heritage of Luxembourg.
The spark: a German magazine
"I spent almost 20 years working at the European Communities. I decided to resign from a very comfortable position to look after my children. As a big fan of DIY Christmas decorations, I was leafing through a German magazine when I came across an article explaining the napkin technique. A napkin is made of three layers, and only the top one is printed. Motifs were cut out and simply glued onto zinc pots.
Naturally, being handy and curious, I wanted to try this technique on a different surface. I wanted to create a decoration and put a little tealight inside to make something warm and cosy. A passion was about to be born…"
A bright idea for tealight holders, and a bout of tendinitis…
"Hence the glass! I had fun looking for a way to make my motifs stick to glass without leaving any trace of glue. Three months after resigning, I held my first Christmas market at home, surrounded by my friends. A year later, having perfected my glass designs at an exhibition, I was asked by a shop to supply it with tealight holders. I enjoyed changing the motifs with the seasons.
For 15 years, I cut, painted and refined my technique. The repetitive scissor work and the weight of the containers eventually took their toll on my hands. An unfortunate bout of acute tendinitis meant I needed an operation. It was inevitable! I am very proud of how my tealight holders have developed. I still make them, just at a slower pace today. You can find them in a few restaurants in Luxembourg and a few hotels in Paris, where they bring a unique decorative touch."
A new decade, a new life
"After two years of rest following my operation, I started to get bored. I have always been very drawn to scents. For my 50th birthday, my friends decided to treat me to a perfumery course in Grasse. I didn't want to stop there. I went straight on to an aromatherapy course and, building on this olfactory background, I took a candle-making course."
But Virginie didn't want to make the ordinary candle you can find anywhere on the market. She needed to stand out. Her first idea was to create a scent signature unique to Luxembourg.
Her second idea came from her love of good food: bringing flavour into her creations. Her Luxembourg collection, for example, really highlights elements of the country's heritage.
"I had made a lemon and bergamot jam in little Weck jars and had the idea of adding the candle in the same scent to a gift box. People loved it; they sold like hot cakes. For the fragrances, for example, I order my raw materials and then do the blending myself. This gives me truly unique scents, and that is how my scent signature took shape."
Sharing positive emotions
"I still prepare the regulatory packaging and safety labels one at a time. I always include a little note with my candles, with a few tips on how to use and care for the candle.
In a way, I changed course not once but twice. It just goes to show that you can completely change direction, even with young children. I found lots of ideas in magazines, and I didn't even speak German. So when you have a passion, nothing can stop you! You just need to be resourceful and bring added value that others don't offer.
You have to see your project through, otherwise you will have regrets. The turning point came at 51. Fortunately, in candle making, as in sculpture or painting, people don't judge your age; they judge your art. Creating means constantly reinventing yourself and questioning what you do."
Conclusion
Virginie's story reflects an unconventional path, shaped by brave choices and ever-renewed creativity, much like that of candle maker Dreams Tell. The way she combines craftsmanship, scent and heritage shows that it is always possible to turn a passion into a one-of-a-kind project, whatever stage of life you are at when you decide to take the plunge.
For more inspiring stories, read all our interviews with artisan candle makers.
