Stéphane Parmentier secretly harboured dreams of working with the Manufacture Cogolin well before the firm first invited him to design a rug. It was The Cartier Foundation that assumed the role of matchmaker between designer Constance Guisset, who was looking for a firm to produce a brooch she had created for an exhibition, and Tout simplement, the maker of “fragile pieces” and a reputable supplier to museums big and small right across France. The Big-Game design studio, meanwhile, met several of its future creative partners at a well-known matchmaking event: the Maison&Objet Paris trade fair. “We met Massimiliano Iorio and Stéphane Arriubergé, the founders of Moustache, at Maison&Objet Paris 15 years ago, and we’ve been working with them ever since. More recently, we’ve started working on a project for Valerie_objects, following a conversation struck up at the trade fair. It’s exactly the same story with Opinel, a brand we’ve been working with for over 5 years”, explain Augustin Scott de Martinville, Elric Petit and Grégoire Jeanmonod. 

Be they designers, design houses or manufacturers, the interested parties are all fully aware of each other’s work and credentials well before embarking on a more “intimate” relationship. Their paths have often crossed at events or when working on projects, all good opportunities for some innocent flirting that allows them to start picturing what the future could hold before finally finding a reason to take things to the next level. It’s not generally a case of love at first sight, but there’s certainly plenty of romancing. As was the case with the Manufacture Cogolin, Stéphane Parmentier was already a client of Italian design house Giobagnara, the leatherwork specialist, well before embarking on a successful 3-year relationship. “When I was placing my orders at the trade fair, Giorgio Bagnara’s brother, Lorenzo, invited me to meet Giorgio, just like that. At 10.30am the next day, Giorgio and I began a conversation which, believe it or not, went on until 5.45pm, without either of us even taking a break to eat, drink or sit down,” says the Parisian designer and interior designer with a smile. Just one month later, Stéphane Parmentier was appointed as the brand’s artistic director, a role in which he has since enjoyed unanimously acclaimed success.

Passion and reason
In 2019, Robert Acouri launched a new design house, La Manufacture, placing Italian designer Luca Nichetto at the artistic helm.  He described the business as “a vessel for expertise and creativity, a firm that puts designers on a pedestal.” Today, a whole host of highly reputed names such as Sebastian Herkner, Patrick Norguet, Nendo and Michael Young have lent their creative brains to designing objects and furnishings for the firm. Robert Acouri affords them all significant freedom of expression. “It’s important to respect the designer’s creative flow. What really matters is the gesture of beauty”, he explains.  Even if that results in a 25,000-euro bookshelf. And yet the man is certainly no patron. Quite the contrary, in fact. The entrepreneur has extremely clear-cut views on what collaborations with designers must entail. “You need in-house expertise, enabling you to understand your own identity and the direction you want to take, and then hand-pick designers accordingly,” he explains. “Then, once the creative process has begun, you must allow them the freedom to be creative and not hamper them in their work, or you will end up with a poor product.”  The freedom of expression that he grants today’s designers is underpinned by their impeccable understanding of La Manufacture’s intentions and DNA. And his confidence is well founded, having already completed projects with numerous highly talented but slightly less high-profile designers for Cider, his group that specialises in fitting out workspaces and that already combines the roles of designer, furniture manufacturer and retailer. “The right balance needs to be struck between production and design,” emphasises Acouri. “You need sufficient expertise to be able to keep an eye on things and source suppliers whilst giving the creatives space to dream. The designer, meanwhile, has to work with your own expertise and DNA.”

The secrets of a happy relationship
 “Trust, respect and desire. When the three come together, anything’s possible”, comments Constance Guisset. Desire sparks encounters, whilst trust enables projects to be accomplished. “I work with an Italian client who initially said ‘no, we can’t do that’ to everything I suggested,” explains Stéphane Parmentier. “Then two days later, he called me back saying he hadn’t slept a wink all night. And that was it. We found solutions and the project’s been given the green light.”  Trust clearly played a key role in his decision. Not to mention courage. “Design houses also come to us looking to be challenged,” the designer continues, “but it mustn’t be about locking horns just for the sake of it. You have to be creative, but also keep your feet firmly on the ground.”

One person, one role 
Respect is a constant throughout the collaboration, with each party fully aware of exactly what the other brings to the relationship. “The design house makes it possible to breathe life into an object. Its perspective and expertise are crucial in getting the piece from concept to store in both technical and economic terms. It enables the object to find its niche and its audience. As for me, I would like to think I bring the design house the benefit of my creativity, be that formal or technical”, continues Constance Guisset. 
“I’ve constantly got my nose to the grindstone”, explains Philippe Ferreux, founder of Tout simplement, the firm responsible for making and marketing the Lunar and Solar brooches dreamed up by the designer. “Launching an object could be likened to a high-performance sport, particularly when your sights are set on attaining perfection at every stage in the process, from the development phase right through to selecting suppliers or packaging the item up. It’s a race that’s never won. The designer’s efforts are focused on an altogether different kind of sport.” For these delicate pieces of jewellery, the metal is cut in Italy and the piece work and finishing touches are then completed in the Morteau region, where the firm is based. It is a region that is reputed for its high-quality expertise in woodwork, watchmaking and jewellery, and for many years the firm has relied on a hand-picked network of local manufacturers. For Tout simplement, which was previously used to creating and retailing its own items or making bespoke museum or merchandising pieces, producing Constance Guisset’s brooches was a first. And it will doubtlessly not be the last. Philippe Ferreux is already open to new encounters.

Attraction can strike at any age 
Tout simplement has been around since 2001. La Manufacture is the new kid on the block, having been launched in 2019. Both Pouenat and Vervloet, with whom Stéphane Parmentier has already collaborated, have a long legacy behind them. In other words, attraction can strike at any age. Fledgling firms or world-famous names, “both have plenty to offer,” comment the designers at Big-Game. “We work, for example, for Karimoku, Japan’s leading manufacturer of wooden furnishings. The firm is highly experienced and has been a household name for 80 years. They have an extremely well-oiled protocol for designing new products, and we’ve learnt a lot by working with them. But we love working with up-and-coming firms, too. They’re always bursting with energy and focused on achieving their dream”. Just over 10 years ago, the trio embarked on a collaboration with a young brand, HAY, which has since carved out a global reputation. How? By working right from the start with designers that helped it forge its own strong identity. 

The ones to watch
“Every client relationship is totally unique, as we adapt to each individual’s requirements and needs”, the designers from Big-Game add. Come September, on strolling from stand to stand, we will nonetheless be able to spot the qualities that characterise their work for different brands, which they describe as “simple, functional and optimistic”. Stéphane Parmentier, on the other hand, says he is obsessed with the sensuality of the materials and producing a neat and graphic design. Constance Guisset admits that although her creations are eclectic, there is nonetheless a common thread, “most probably a penchant for nonchalance, movement and surprise.” A creative thread that can also now be followed by heading to the MOM digital platform and clicking on the “DESIGN BY” tab. 

By Marie Montuir

SAVE THE DATE

To celebrate the launch of this new section on the site, Maison&Objet will be hosting, from July 5-11 on MOM, "Digital Days Design by". It's an event you won't want to miss, to discover a first look at the latest in design!