Some of the biggest names in interior design and fashion joined forces during Paris Design Week to present a dramatic pairing between furniture from upscale e-tailer The Invisible Collection and handcrafted pieces made at Chanel-owned le19M’s Maisons d’art. The bespoke objects were set against precious antique wood panelling at Féau Boiseries’ Paris showroom – which provided inspiration for Karl Lagerfeld’s suites at the Hôtel de Crillon, designed in collaboration with Lebanese designer, Alline Asmar d’Amman.
The 17 dreamy scenographies were designed by the duo behind Studio Biehler-Graveleine – Marc-Antoine Biehler and Amaury Graveleine – who also created a range of ready-to-install embroideries for Lesage Intérieurs, that were showcased on cream-fringed seating, produced by master upholsterer Charles Jouffre.
Elsewhere in the exhibition, majestic chandeliers by gold-and-silversmith Goossens (a favourite of Gabrielle Chanel) made an eye-catching impact as well as iconic Jean-Michael Franck designs and contemporary pieces by Charles Zana and Studio MTX.Delicate creations by feather and flower embroidery expert, Lemarié, added the perfect finishing touch.
“Although all the elements in the exhibition may appear different, each one tells a common story of French craftsmanship,” says Marc-Antoine Biehler. “The goal here was to form a new perspective.”
What was the vision behind bringing so many seemingly different elements together? At first glance, all the elements presented in this exhibition may appear very different: the creations from the Invisible Collection, those from Chanel's Maisons d'Art with Lesage Intérieurs' embroideries, Goossens' furniture, the elements from the MTX studio, and the featherwork of Lemarié, all set to be displayed at the Féau Boiseries showroom. However, each piece, each Maison, as well as the décor of Féau Boiseries, tell a common story: the story of French craftsmanship.
It was particularly fascinating to connect all these different crafts and have them coexist within the world's largest collection of wood panelling. It was as if we were retracing the history of France through the panelling itself, while also bringing these artisanal skills into the present and initiating a certain vision of the future of design.
The goal of this scenography was to allow all these elements to coexist harmoniously, while also captivating the visitor's attention and introducing them to a new perspective on the decorative arts and contemporary furniture from the Invisible Collection.
What does the meeting of contemporary design and age-old craftsmanship say about where we are in design today? After exploring new materials, including plastic, the field of design is now taking a new turn by refocusing on its history, essence, and roots. Current environmental concerns are pushing us to rethink our approach to design compared to what we have practised in recent years.
At the core of our thinking now lies craftsmanship and the use of natural and sustainable materials. We also place great value on antique and vintage furniture, as it brings with it a unique history and aesthetics that transport a visitor or a client into another world. Moreover, this type of furniture is often of exceptional quality and meticulously designed.
We are observing a pronounced return to craftsmanship and an increased appreciation for traditional skills, which we consider essential. In France, we are fortunate to have easy access to talented artisans and to benefit from a rich culture linked to the history of these crafts. Our role as designers is to collaborate closely with these artisans, to mutually challenge ourselves, and to evolve these traditional skills by integrating them, for example, with new technologies and emerging needs. If we do not preserve these skills, they may risk disappearing. However, we are optimistic and moved to see that more and more young people from our generation are turning to these artisanal crafts.
What did you wish to evoke with your own collaboration with Lesage Intérieurs? Our relationship with Maison Lesage Intérieurs began following our participation at the Design Parade Toulon competition organised by Villa Noailles, where we won two awards: the Public Prize and the Chanel Visual Merchandising Prize.
The Chanel prize allowed us to collaborate with the Maison Lesage Intérieurs on our initial project, 'Madame Cristal.' Throughout this project, we developed a strong and friendly relationship with Jean-Francois Lesage and his entire team. As a result, we were invited this year by the Maison Lesage Intérieurs to collaborate on a collection of 'ready-to-install' embroideries, featuring various designs available in different sizes, such as trims, borders, and all-over patterns.
This collaboration was a wonderful experience of sharing and discovery. We maintained constant communication with the workshops, which allowed us to learn about their techniques and adjust our designs accordingly. The embroidery collection comprises 12 patterns in various sizes and colours.
For this occasion, we also designed a piece of furniture: the Collins armchair and ottoman. These first pieces are numbered and serve as masterpieces, where embroidery plays a significant role. The entire perimeter of the armchair and ottoman is embroidered with the 'Chapiteau' pattern that we created for the Folklore collection. This furniture is available at The Invisible Collection and can be customised with different wood finishes, fabrics, other embroideries (or without any embroidery).
This inaugural embroidery collection was an exceptional opportunity for us, and we took huge pleasure in being a part of it. Our approach, which encompasses various scales, is inspired by "ensembliers" who conceived projects from the envelope to the smallest detail. In this case, we focused on the meticulous work of details while exploring a millennium-old craft that remains relevant today.
What was significant about the theme of this collaboration? Lesage Intérieurs suggested that we work on the theme of Folklore, an idea with a rich history and a significant presence in the Maison's heritage, particularly through the work of Elsa Schiaparelli. We delved into their archives, opened boxes, and discovered techniques and designs that greatly inspired us. We fused these findings with our own intuitions and sensibilities.
The 'Folklore' theme appealed to us because of its positivity, joyfulness, and lack of seriousness. It was a way for us to have fun and experiment with a different medium. Nevertheless, we approached this project much like we would do our interior architecture projects: first considering its purpose and where embroidery could come into play.
