Goldsmithing, carpentry, marquetry… five craftsman-designer duos present their creations

India Mahdavi and Lison de Caunes: pop straw

A graduate in architecture, industrial design, furniture design and graphic design, India Mahdavia makes happiness the hallmark of her studio created in 2000 Lison de Caunes, she chose, after her studies at the Central Union of Decorative Arts, to bring up to date the forgotten technique of straw marquetry, perpetuating the tradition of her grandfather, the decorator André Groult . Faced with success, she inaugurated her workshop in the early 1990s. They met three years ago around a round table that combines know-how and imagination.

Madame Figaro.- How did you meet?India Mahdavi. - I knew the technique of straw marquetry which I found very attractive but linked to the 1940s and inseparable from the work of Jean-Michel Frank and Jean Royère. I wondered how to reinterpret it. I had the click when I was working on my tables designed around the theme "The heroes of my childhood", and inspired by comic books. I wanted to give Bugs Bunny a new face by using natural materials to represent him. So it was finally an opportunity to integrate straw marquetry into my work. I went to see Lison, an expert on the subject, and she said “Banco, I am very amused!”. This is how this collection of round tables with quirky patterns was born, giving a more fun side to this serious technique.Lison de Caunes. - It's true that straw marquetry is is very serious! And yet we succeeded in making it something fun. This first project was launched three years ago and since then we have not stopped collaborating.

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What is your current project?I. M. - Another table, this time inspired by the That's All Folks target, the one you see in the credits of American cartoons.L. C. - We know each other better and better and our collaboration is therefore more and more fluid. We work a lot together on choosing the colors of the straw. I make proposals to India. She gives her opinion. I modify. I bring my know-how and India her eye.

What did you learn from each other?L. C. - I need the madness of designers. I think I'm a good craftswoman but I don't have an unbridled imagination. India takes me into her world. She said to me "Come on, let's do the Bugs Bunny that I have in mind" and I followed her! I love letting myself be drawn into new worlds. Besides, when a designer offers me something totally crazy, unachievable at first glance, I always say yes.I. M. - With Lison, I discovered a multitude of technical parameters such as star or vertical work which will change the appearance of the straw. Straw is a living material, it can be applied in a thousand ways and the result is always different. Lison's expertise is therefore essential. And his hand too: it brings a dimension of affect that no machine can achieve.

What are the links between craftsmanship and design?L. C. - I know how to work with straw and India knows how to design furniture, invent patterns... At some point, these two professions meet.I. M. - Design goes beyond thinking about use. It takes into account manufacturing, the carbon footprint... My work with Lison is part of this approach with a desire to preserve know-how.

Other collaborations in sight?I. M. - I want to make another table inspired by coral.L. C. - Sometimes India thinks of patterns without knowing if they are feasible. It's up to me to say yes or no. So, OK for the coral!

Clara Hardy and Élise Fouin: dream of silk

Élise Fouin and Clara Hardy could have met at the École Boulle, where they both studied, the first in goldsmithing and design , the second in carpentry and design. But life decided otherwise. Élise Fouin cut her teeth as a designer with Andrée Putman, before setting up her studio in 2008. Clara Hardy founded Sericyne in 2015, a company specializing in non-woven silk products, a technique that consists of letting the worms deposit naturally their silk on supports. Their paths finally crossed during an innovation program, in which they created a delicate and unique lamp.

Lady Figaro. - How did you meet?Clara Hardy. - Sericyne had won a competition with R3iLab, an innovation network for the industry. In this context, we had to develop a project showing our ability to invent and R3iLab put us in contact with Élise.

Tell us about your lamp, its specificities…C. H. - This is a silk lamp whose manufacture required twenty-five days of work and 1500 silkworms. At Sericyne, we create an entirely natural non-woven silk. Worms do not produce cocoons. They are installed on molds, where they deposit their silk. There they were on a flat structure. Élise has transformed this flat silk into 3D shapes and including luminous elements.Élise Fouin. - I like the material. It is very often the starting point of my creations. But with Sericyne, I had to create “my material”. Indeed, it is not women and men who weave Sericyne silk, it is the worms that make it by moving on a support. Contrary to my habits, I did not work a finished material, but I imagined a structure to guide the caterpillars, so that they produce silk that meets my needs. As for the lighting, I used microLEDs which do not heat up and which can therefore be encapsulated…

What did you learn from each other?E. F. - I have integrated Sericyne's imperatives into my work. I went to the Cévennes to see the workshop to better understand the constraints of this technique. Exciting learning!C. H. - Élise took a fresh look at our technique. It showed that we could imagine other ways, other uses. She opened our minds.

What are the links between craftsmanship and design?C. H. - The two are intimately linked. Design is not only about drawing shapes, responding to functions. He must also think systems. Thus, Sericyne is not only a craft company: it is rethinking the silk industry, its functioning. It is therefore part of the world of design.E. F. - I agree with Clara. In the past, in France, we liked to catalog craftsmen and designers. Today, the younger generation no longer draws a line between different fields and disciplines. Designers and artisans are rethinking the design and manufacturing processes together. The designer sometimes finds himself a craftsman, and the craftsman a designer. The border has become porous.

Other projects?E. F. - We would like to capitalize on this lamp which, to this day, still remains a manifest object. Now we need to make it more accessible. We are therefore thinking about a variation that could be marketed.C. H. - If we manage to produce this lamp in series, to have it distributed, we will show that it is possible to make beautiful objects for everyone, made naturally.

Philippe Model and Bruno Dubois: the bistro spirit

He conquered the world with his Parisian chair. And yet, nothing predestined Bruno Dubois, consultant in industrial strategy, to a career in furniture. It is when seeing the age of retirement arrive that the man thinks that it is time to slow down without ceasing all activity. He explored several avenues and fell in love with the Maison Louis Drucker, then for sale. Fascinated by the potential of rattan and the know-how of this manufacture created in the 19th century, he bought it in 2006. In a few years, his bistro chairs once again became icons... It is therefore not surprising that they attracted the attention of Philippe Model, lover of beauty, known for his hats, shoes, but also for his collections of paintings, wallpapers, decorative objects, furniture... This jack-of-all-trades fell in love with seating and , with Bruno Dubois, gives color to the furniture.

Madame Figaro.- How did you meet?Philippe Model. - The Gatti factory, with whom I made my first collections of bistro chairs, was sold a year ago and a half to a financier. When I understood that the collaboration was going to be impossible, I turned to Bruno. He immediately offered to help me.Bruno Dubois. - I was delighted to work with Philippe, because a company can only grow by offering new products. And this requires collaborations with talented creators, like Philippe. Admittedly, we have our archives, the signatures of Maison Louis Drucker, but we must also develop our collections by opening our universe to passionate, original, unique personalities, who bring another point of view on our know-how.

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Describe this collection to us?P. M. - This is a collection of chairs available in nine shades and complemented by a bench, headboard and lampshade.

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What did you learn from each other?P. M. - Maison Louis Drucker, labeled Living Heritage Company, brought me his exceptional historical know-how, his high standards. This collaboration also allows me to make my work known outside France, because Maison Louis Drucker has an international clientele.

B. D. - Philippe showed the Maison Louis Drucker teams that color could be processed through different mixtures and patterns, perhaps more complex than what we are used to doing. We have 40 kinds of weaves and, for him, we had to invent others! An exciting challenge and a new breath. If Philippe sees in us a way to make himself known in the world, he is also, for our house, the emblem of Parisian creation which appeals all over the planet. Our clients, in Azerbaijan, Australia or elsewhere, all want a piece of the City of Light, and Philippe turns out to be a perfect ambassador.

What are the links between craftsmanship and design?B. D. - Craftsmanship and design are inseparable. They must constantly merge in order to live, or even survive.P. M. - This rapprochement has not always been obvious. But our time implies a new link to objects: we want them to last, to have a soul. It is therefore conducive to recreating an intimate link between designers and craftsmen.

Do you have another collaboration in sight?P. M. - We just want to expand this range.B. D .- This morning, I asked Philippe for a new chair. A somewhat classic model, with a backrest in the shape of a medallion. He's going to work on it...

Mayeul Gauvin and Marianne Guély: constellations of paper

In her studio created in 2007, Marianne Guély, trained in industrial design, brings together talents from all walks of life around her favorite material: paper . With it, artists and craftsmen reinvent it within the framework of scenography projects or by designing exceptional objects. Mayeul Gauvin is one of Marianne Guély's relatives, collaborating regularly with her. Painter and decorator specializing in wall decorations and trompe-l'oeil, she brings to the studio an expert eye in research on color and illusion effects. They have just signed a dream lamp as a duo...

Lady Figaro. - How did you meet? Mayeul Gauvin. -I discovered Marianne's work during my last year of study. I had gone to Belgium to do an internship in the studio of Isabelle de Borchgrave, also a paper expert. When I got back to Paris, I naturally contacted Marianne, and she offered me a collaboration that still continues today.

Together, you created a lamp: what are its particularities?Marianne Guély. - We wanted to combine alabaster stone and paper, to create a dialogue between these two materials. And Mayeul played the role of alchemist!Mayeul. - The lamp had to evoke constellations with evanescent effects. To obtain this result, I did many tests. I mixed different techniques. For example, I used Indian ink with a lot of water for a very raw rendering of the paper. I also tanned - as one would for leather - a glue primer with black paint for a result that catches the light and gives shine...

What did you learn from each other?Marianne. - Mayeul is like me, she likes to travel, to discover cultures. This can be felt in his work as an artist and in his approach to matter. She brings a sense of color that we don't have at the studio.Mayeul. -Working with Marianne often involves a lot of research, and it is very exciting to immerse yourself in new techniques and put them into practice.

What are the links between craftsmanship and design?Marianne. - Artists, artisans, designers are partners. For thirty years, I navigate between industry and craftsmanship, and I am comfortable in both sectors. This absence of borders allows for eclectic work and encounters. I am always looking for talents to develop my ideas. Thus, with Mayeul, we are now creating a unique piece, but at the same time I can work on greeting cards that will be printed in several thousand copies. The result in both cases is very elegant.Mayeul. - A collaboration between a craftsman and a designer catalyzes emotions. Technical constraints mingle with sensitivities, and this gives more touching creations that we attach to for a long time.

Other projects?Marianne. - We will continue to develop lamps, in order to offer tailor-made solutions to interior designers. We would also like to imagine a chandelier with paper, but also feathers and, why not, Murano glass.

Laura Gonzalez and François Roger: mirror effect

Giving places a soul has been Laura Gonzalez's hobby since the creation of her agency Pravda Arkitect and the completion of her first project in 2008. To cultivate an eclectic chic style of her own, she surrounds herself with craftsmen: cabinetmakers, upholsterers, painters… Among them, the ceramist François Roger, whom nothing predestined for this profession. Trained in the hotel industry before becoming a sommelier and opening a bistro and a wine cellar, he was overtaken by the family passion. It all clicked when, by chance, he tried to reproduce an earthen object in the Jean Roger workshop founded by his grandfather. He then decides to be trained by his father and finally takes over from him. With Laura Gonzalez, they have just imagined a spectacular mirror.

Madame Figaro.-How did you meet?Laura Gonzalez. - I went to look for him. I had hunted down Algues wall lights by Jean Roger, which I adored, and I wanted to buy new pieces from him for the Relais Christine project. That was seven years ago, and it was the start of a long collaboration. Since then, I order pieces from François for almost all my projects and we also developed together, three years ago, my collection of exclusive candles.

Which piece are you working on?L. G. - On a mirror designed as a large braid. It all started with a photo, which I sent to François, with a detail that has something vegetal like a tree trunk. I also gave him ratings to respect. And François delivered his own interpretation. I liked it immediately.François Roger. - It is true that when I work with Laura, there is little waste! There is a certain consistency between us in vision and in style. Laura's codes are classic, but systematically twisted, as we like to do at Jean Roger. Regarding this mirror, I wanted to work with a chamotte, earthenware clay, for more solidity and a matt white color, because it is the identity shade of the workshop, but also for the very contemporary side.

What did you learn from each other?L. G. - The patience and complexity of his technique.F. A. - Laura needs completely different objects for each of her projects, so I'm always on the lookout. It makes me move forward, progress.

What are the links between design and craftsmanship?L. G. - For me, it's very clear, I'm a designer, I'm not a craftsman. I work with the hand of others. This team spirit is very interesting, because the more speakers there are, the more unknowns there are, the more surprises there are.F. A. - For me, the two are complementary, intertwined. I am a craftsman when I produce for others, and I am a designer and a craftsman when I make my own collections. The craftsman brings another eye to the designer and allows him to develop new techniques. Both get richer.

Do you have another collaboration in sight?F. R. - A whole series of pieces for the Hôtel Saint-James in Paris, such as Fagot XXL wall lights and Artichoke vases for all the rooms. And we are also going to use the Tresse mirror so that Laura can offer it in her collection of exclusive objects.L. G. - We are also developing a series of wall lights for a hotel in Rome, two models reminiscent of gladiator armbands, as well as room signage on ceramic plaques.

Elizabeth Leriche, trend hunter: “Consumers are looking for proposals with a soul”

Director of the style office that bears her name, Elizabeth Leriche has participated in the Observatoire du Home & Object. She is particularly keen to highlight the great return of Craft. For her, design and craftsmanship are naturally linked.

Madame Figaro.-Are we witnessing a reunion between designers and craftsmen?Elizabeth Leriche. - The relationship between designers and craftsmen has always existed. She had ups and downs. Today it is evident again. Designers are reconnecting with traditional know-how. They are not radically moving away from industry, but they are cultivating increasingly intimate ties with craftsmen in order to create more unique, meaningful objects. Indeed, faced with the standardization of the offer, consumers are looking for proposals with a soul, and this is what the artisanal gesture allows. For designers, who are also creators, it's a godsend, a way to express themselves so fully, to move towards more surprise, exchange too.

Which designers do you think are emblematic of this movement?I immediately think of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, who will work with the industry but who also have a real interest in traditional techniques. They have, for example, collaborated with Maison Matisse, which offers designers the opportunity to develop projects with craftsmen inspired by the world of the painter Henri Matisse. They thus imagined the Window Duo vase which represents an open window. This very limited series in earthenware, terracotta and aluminum was made by hand in French workshops. Constance Guisset, for Maison Marcoux Mexico, designed a table, vases, a carafe, as part of a residency in Oaxaca, Mexico. His creations were shaped by a local workshop, expert in black earth work, specific to this region. As for Sam Baron, he went to seek inspiration in Portugal for his Pedra candlesticks made with stones abandoned in quarries...

France, Mexico, Portugal…, designers are not satisfied with craftsmen who are near them!This “cooperation” reflects a desire to discover other territories. Objects become symbolic of a dialogue between cultures. And at a time when we are constrained in our movements, they become a way of traveling. They are a bit like the Chinese dream stone: observing them allows you to escape!

Can we talk about mutual stimulation?The meeting between a designer and a craftsman is an opportunity to move forward together. The designer confronts his project with the limits of the technique, and he must sometimes adapt it. As for the craftsman, he can also imagine new approaches to meet the expectations of the designer. The result of these encounters often makes it possible to bring ancestral know-how up to date.

Faced with standardized and smooth creations, does the work of the designer with the craftsman allow a rediscovery of touch?This collaboration is, of course, an opportunity for the designer to reconnect with the pleasure of touching the material. Admittedly, he does not "do", but he will be able to share this sensual link to the earth, to the textile, to the wood that the craftsman possesses. And the object that they will create together, most of the time in small series, will bear the mark of the hand of the person who made it. The future owner, when he touches this object, will feel that there is the imprint of the craftsman, a form of signature. This unique contact also triggers a new relationship to time. A handmade object is not an object that comes out of an automatic machine. It took time to make it and it is therefore also made to last over time… An increasingly important sustainability value for consumers

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