Objet de Curiosité
INTERVIEW WITH PIERRE-EMMANUEL GRANGE - JARICOT
Founder of Objet de Curiosité
Why did you create Objet de Curiosité ?
It's a childhood dream. Since I was 6 years old, I have been a sort of jack-of-all-trades, amazed by everything he finds in nature.
This 18th century naturalist side that combines curiosity and scientific knowledge has remained since then.
My parents created furniture and the idea came naturally to combine all these passions.
My meeting with Lilau and her talent as a decorator also proved to be key in this impulse.
Objet de Curiosité was born from multiple passions: love of nature, love of antiques, love of beauty, love of everything.
What is your DNA and your creative line?
There are several ingredients. First of all, it has to speak to Lilau and me and it has to touch us.
Our curiosities must also be rooted in nature and history.
We do not create for the simple beauty of the line and the aesthetics ex nihilo. We start with elements that have a history and personalities that we revisit to create the adventure.
We imagine what they tell us in our ears and we let the dream act.
Does being French play a role in your brand universe?
We travel 70% of the time in the world very far from France and the more we travel, the more we feel French.
Our French culture plays a very important role. It undeniably leaves its mark on our creations.
The relationship of the French to their home is intimate, their house is both a family cocoon in which they want to feel good and a friendly place to share good moments with their friends.
What is your role in the company ?
I mainly deal with the sourcing of natural elements and materials in the field for everything related to our natural curiosities.
I also set up networks of enthusiasts who hunt for our curiosities on a daily basis according to our specifications.
How do you find your unique pieces?
Our network is on the lookout for what we are looking for, for example an elephant bird, now extinct, which we know existed in Madagascar.
Our partners are on the lookout for a set of curiosities characteristic of their territory. We then stage the unique piece through a hand-sewn scenography that sublimates it.
How do you create new products in line with users' expectations?
To be in phase with users, we are in phase with the evolution of lifestyles, the period and our sensibility.
We are inspired by everything we see and feel in life as we travel around the world without any limits.
Once we have all these inspirations, we draw universes with a common sensitivity.
We have paradoxes: the more we go towards nomadism, the less we find a material attachment and the more individuals become lighter. On the other hand, nomadism makes people even more sensitive to objects and places.
They become even more sacred because they need to find themselves anchored to their roots and the history that is part of themselves.
Are your unique pieces really unique in the world?
Yes, because each piece is a character with a personality of its own.
We work on them while respecting this identity and looking for ways to tell it.
It's like children who discover a treasure and who only have eyes for their new discovery and how they will be able to best accommodate it to share it with their entourage.
What are your customers looking for in your universe ?
A universal value and an emotional journey that fascinates them.
When you activate a mechanism that features a prehistoric mosquito in amber, a fragment of meteorite or water from millions of years ago that moves in a mineral, you experience a privileged and exhilarating moment that hypnotizes you.
What are your current developments in the world ?
We are currently developing in Asia and the United States.
The opening up of Asia means that there is a growing demand for new references.
After a very rich and baroque phase in terms of design, they are waiting for less heavy and more refined lines.
Americans, on the other hand, are very sensitive to history, and our curiosities appeal to them.
INTERVIEW WITH LILAU GRANGE-JARICOT
Founder of Objet de Curiosité
What is your role in the company?
Mainly setting the scene. I am the one who creates the styling of the ambiences and the universes in which we present the products.
I also take care of the artistic direction of the pieces that we have made in limited edition.
I also take care of the administrative and financial aspects to ensure the sustainability of our company.
Where do you draw your inspiration?
Everywhere. Advertising, fashion, reading, travel, meetings, the Olympic Games... Everything is a source of inspiration.
I also keep a close eye on trends to make sure that our inspirations are in line with the evolution of lifestyles and expectations.
What is your trademark?
Passion. We create worlds to live in because we are inhabited by our world.
Our curiosities are members of our tribe and we live with them night and day, both in our professional showroom and at home.
Their story is part of our story.
In which countries are you present ?
We are present all over the world as our customers are located in more than 60 countries.
The most important ones are France, the United Kingdom, Italy, China and the United States.
Where can we see your curiosities?
On our website, in concept stores that distribute them, on social networks Facebook, Instragram and on demand.
We also participate in many specialized trade shows in different countries such as Maison & Objet in Paris, Decorex in London or ICFF in the US.
How do you know who your distributors are to find your products?
We work a lot with decorators and interior designers but we also collaborate with boutiques that
distribute our products. Simply contact us to find out which one is closest to you.
What are the upcoming trends of Objet de Curiosité for the next few months?
We are currently working on very strong wallpapers and universes at the same time pop, classic, baroque and ethnic to show that it is the mix which is beautiful and that it is declined with all the periods.
From Objetdecuriosité.com
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