From ancestral craft to contemporary design: celebrating French Excellence
Friday 16 January —
15:00
- 15:45
The Talks — Hall 3
Description
French craftsmanship enters into dialogue with a contemporary creative language, driven by a new generation of designers, entrepreneurs, and interior architects who are shaping this creative renewal. A movement that is both artistic and entrepreneurial, positioning France as a key player on the global design stage.
Nos partenaires : ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY
Participants
Tristan RodriguezPresident - Horus and President - Réseau Excellence EPV Hospitality & Contract
Gabrielle Joinau TavernierCofounder and director - Maison A&G
Oscar Lucien OnoInterior decorator and founder - Maison Numéro 20
Guillaume de Saint-Lager Founder and Agent - Paragone & Director - Barnes Interiors
Marie GodfrainJournalist
Tristan Rodriguez
President - Horus and President - Réseau Excellence EPV Hospitality & Contract
Tristan Rodriguez is an entrepreneur committed to the promotion, transmission, and strategic development of French craftsmanship. President of HORUS, a house of excellence specializing in faucets and ceramics for hospitality, architecture, and contract projects, he is also Vice President of the Kramer Group, a major family-owned player in the bathroom sector in France. He played a key role in rescuing La Jurassienne de Céramique Française, a historic site founded in 1899 and threatened with closure in 2021, acting concretely to preserve and renew French know-how in close connection with local territories and production networks. Recipient of the Palme d’Or from the Comité de France in 2025, he now serves within the organization as a representative of the driving forces behind France’s economic excellence. A recognized unifier, he chairs the Contract and Hospitality vertical of the EPV Excellence Network, which he helped structure to strengthen connections between certified houses and key stakeholders in the contract and hospitality sectors in France and internationally. His career embodies a strong conviction: to make French craftsmanship a lever of sovereignty, influence, and collective pride.
Gabrielle Joinau Tavernier
Cofounder and director - Maison A&G
Co-founder and director of Maison A&G, she leads a fast-growing interior architecture studio known for its high-end projects and its ability to adapt to clients with very diverse profiles. Heading a team of about twenty talents in France and Dubai, she designs bespoke spaces by combining a passion for craftsmanship with rigorous operational processes. She also develops real estate investments, including an innovative hotel concept located one hour from Paris.
Oscar Lucien Ono
Interior decorator and founder - Maison Numéro 20
Oscar Lucien Ono, interior designer and founder of Maison Numéro 20, develops a highly personal vision of interior architecture, shaped by artistic culture and a strong sense of storytelling. Drawing on classical heritage and contemporary influences, he works with light, textures, and materials. Supported by the craftsmanship of master artisans, he creates immersive and distinctive hotels, residences, and hospitality spaces, where every detail reveals the identity of the project.
Guillaume de Saint-Lager
Founder and Agent - Paragone & Director - Barnes Interiors
After studying law and starting his career as a business lawyer, Guillaume de Saint Lager joined Orient Express, where he nurtured his passion for luxury travel. Over ten years, he and his teams redefined the international strategy and positioning of this iconic brand. In 2023, he founded Paragone to represent leading talents in design and interior architecture. In 2024, Paragone partnered with BARNES to create BARNES Interiors, a bespoke interior design service for buyers of exceptional properties.
Marie Godfrain
Journalist
Marie Godfrain is the Editor-in-Chief of IDEAT magazine. Specializing in design, decoration, craftsmanship, and architecture, she also moderates and hosts design conferences and has long contributed to M, le magazine. She has taught design history at ENSCI – Les Ateliers and is the author of several books, including a biography of Atelier Vime published by Flammarion and another on ceramicist Frédérick Gautier released by Actes Sud. Through her work, she demonstrates that design goes far beyond the mere production of furniture, playing an active role in accompanying and shaping contemporary social transformations.