JEK
Senior Insider
In her small house perched on the heights of a peaceful and green neighborhood, Hélène Weinert welcomes her visitors with elegance and simplicity. She wants to be careful when she moves because, the day before, she fell. "I started my hundredth year cheerfully," she comments, sitting on her couch. Well, no, I broke two ribs! Discreet pearls to adorn her earms, two long necklaces hanging from her neck, Hélène Weinert endorses with refinement and enthusiasm her new status as dean of Saint-Barthélemy. "I am very proud of it," she says. I am a fervent of Saint-Barth. I have been here for more than 35 years and I wish to be buried on the island, with my friends. I will be very well in one of these small flowery cemeteries. As late as possible, it goes without saying.
On her young years, Hélène Weinert passes quickly. She mentions her parents, from the North of France, who settled in North Africa where her grandfather owned properties. Thus, she was born in Algiers on February 28, 1924. "But when the country took its freedom, it was quite terrible," she sighs. Many people in the family were killed. Without transition, she says: "After I got married and lived in Belgium. And then, when I separated from my husband, I had a little boy and I tried to take care of myself. That's when the adventure begins."A stroke of luck"
"Friends had an important company that owned different franchises," she remembers. They had a factory that made lingerie and swimsuits. I came in like that, wondering what I was going to do there. The friends in question were the "cordier musketeers" and, from the outset, they entrusted him with the creative studio "Cors Corsair". "I started by correcting the patterns of the models we made, and then I had a stroke of luck. Intuition, shall we say.
"I was bored and looking for ideas," she slipped, straightening up. I even asked for advice from the old worker who worked with me in the office. I took off my tights and, like that, I used them to make a bra. But it was a very light material and we could see the breasts through it! She tells herself that the audacity of her idea will soon be rejected by her employers.
To his surprise, exactly the opposite is happening. "A man came to the factory to evaluate the employees and when my turn came, he asked me what I was doing in this office," she smiles. I simply told him that I was looking for ideas and I showed him what I had done. He found my idea great and told me that he was going to make 200,000! From then on, Hélène Weinert's life changes completely."A hectic life! ”
These new lingerie models for women, then wrapped in heavy and not very graceful fabrics, are sold in eleven countries. "What's funny is that it was often the husbands who came to buy them for their wives," the dean has fun. All this was a trigger for me. Solicited, she becomes the muse of society and travels to Europe, the United States, Brazil... "As I was young and enthusiastic, it didn't scare me too much," she assures. They asked me if I felt able to create a collection of summer dresses, a children's line, etc. I was having a lot of fun! And I was surprised to have this success. ”
These trips end up taking her to the Caribbean. First in Saint-Thomas, which she finds "too dangerous". So she pushes a little further. "As I had a friend who had the Hôtel du Castelet, I went to see her in Saint-Barth," she explains. There, I met great people. And above all, I was accepted, which was not always obvious. She becomes manager of the Oro del Sol jewelry store but also works for Hermès, makes bags, devotes herself to painting... "When I think of the list of everything I have done," she sighs, thoughtfully. I had a hectic life! I lived at 300 per hour. She almost forgets to mention the creation of uniforms for the hostesses of an airline, tunics for football teams...
Today, Hélène Weinert continues to observe what is being created, as she sometimes takes a cautious look at the evolution of Saint-Barth. "When I arrived, I wanted simplicity, wild nature," she says. At the time, there were not all these barracks! Today I don't like that there are too many cars, everyone too, and especially that it becomes so expensive. I regret it. I loved old Saint Barth. Fortunately, the inhabitants have kept their character, they love their families. Saint Barth has changed, but it remains a myth. And then she wonders about the future of the island. "Saint-Barth is a heavy burden," she says. We need a man of action and full of energy as Bruno (Magras) was! I hope Xavier Lédée will know how to do it. ”
When the time comes to leave, Hélène Weinert lets her cat, Félix, slide from her knees. With a slow step because she is assured, she walks to the bay window and, accompanying her words with a small hand gesture, she says: "See you soon. ”
