“We moved to Canberra one and a half years ago, and that has been a beautiful change.” Camille at here. studio. Photos: Jade Hansen.
The Edit is a series produced by Jade Hansen that features the people behind some of Canberra’s most note-worthy fashion, beauty and health offerings.
This week on The Edit, I had the opportunity to spend an overcast Sunday morning at here. – a studio space in the newly repurposed Downer shops. The Downer precinct has recently undergone a renovation and as a result, the area is once again a hive of activity and has an intimate village feel.
More than just a yoga studio, here. is a calming space with a holistic approach to well-being and slow living. From the minimal interior to the natural light and the communal table, every part of here. feels purposeful and well planned – it has been created with intention. Upon entering this calming space I am greeted by yoga teacher Camille and, detecting her adorable French accent, I am intrigued; how did this tranquil French beauty come to be working at here.? Of course the answer is like many others: ‘”my partner is a public servant so we relocated from Melbourne to Canberra” (although this answer does sound cuter with a French accent!).
Camille’s journey
Deciding to make a significant lifestyle change, Camille moved to Australia but never imagined she would settle in Canberra. “I am originally from France and come from a business background. I decided to quit my consulting job in France four years ago to come to Australia for a year and travel and have fun! Which I did!” she said.
Four years later, Camille is enjoying a ‘slow living’ lifestyle that Canberra affords her. “It was a really powerful experience to break free and get away from rules. I had always known there is more to life than work, but my travels in Australia emphasised that feeling even more. So it now has been four years since I came to Australia. I decided to stay as I met my partner in Melbourne. We moved to Canberra one and a half years ago, and that has been a beautiful change.”
Slow living in Canberra
Describing Canberra as ‘a beautiful change’ – Camille thinks the nation’s capital is an ideal place for a slower paced lifestyle -“After moving to Canberra our life slowed down, and we took this opportunity to really focus on taking the time to learn, do courses and enjoy a cosy life at home.
“We liked the chilled and relaxed atmosphere and the nature around us. The food scene is quite good (and we come from living in Melbourne!) and we find that it was so much easier to bond with people.”
Slowly does it. – here. tote bag.
“Of course, for me, Yoga is part of the slow living experience. It’s a time where I can stop thinking about my life and my day. I can just be in the moment, whether it is when I teach a class or do my own practice.
“Actually probably, even more, when I teach a class as I have no choice but to remember the next move or breath! Yoga brought me that awareness at all times that it’s only a matter of choice to slow down,” she said.
Go slow here.
Living Consciously
“I can choose to take five minutes to breathe at my lunch break, or I can choose to skip that and go on with my day. With that perspective, it becomes more my responsibility to slow down. It is also that every moment of the day becomes an opportunity to choose to slow down,” Camille said.
here. is located at – Shop 3, 2 Frencham Pl,
Downer ACT 2602 P: 02 5105 7319
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