In this first episode, I wanted to introduce myself and go through my career.
I talk about the game-changing encounters I made, the life-saving burnouts I went through, and the mind-blowing venture of setting my own business.
It’s in French, but stay tuned for future content in English!
And please feel free to get in touch with me.

I am delighted to welcome India Mahdavi as the first guest.
An architect and designer, she has built her own business model — she calls it her ecosystem.
She’s had an organic growth ever since, which is actually the key to her continuous success.

With sincerity and her (legendary) sense of humour, India talks about the reasons why she chose this job; her team; and the industry.

She treats us with deep insight, genuine advice, and many “quotes of the day” as I like to call them.

The whole interview is in French — stay tuned for Episode 2.2 (April 15th), a solo bonus in English in which I go over the highlights of our conversation.

In this solo bonus episode, I wanted to share the highlights of the interview with India Mahdavi.
I worked with India from 2012 to 2021, as the Office Manager at the studio then Sales Manager at the showroom.
More than my former boss, she has become a mentor, and she is like a godmother to me and to this new podcast.
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I am truly honored to have her as our first guest.
It was a delight to interview her and explore with her the fields of management, leadership, staff, communication…
These are unusual questions for creatives, and India’s answers were truly genuine, and so inspiring for anyone who’s a creative, or an entrepreneur, or both.

Whether you are a designer, a brand, a journalist, or simply a design lover, MILAN DESIGN WEEK is definitely the place to be in April.

This was my second Salone del Mobile and I enjoyed it even more than last year because I knew my way around the city a bit more, I had more places to go to, and more people to connect with.

And this time, I also had the podcast in mind.
I am glad to introduce you to the 4 wonderful persons I had the opportunity to briefly interview :
– Alberto Cavalli, Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship — based in Geneva
– Sarah Quan, Creative Director and co-founder of Villa Nomad — based in Zürich
– Riccardo Villa Fabbiati, Designer and Founder of Monstrum Studio — based in Milan and Paris
– Chloé Nègre, Designer and Founder of Studio Chloé Nègre — based in Paris
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The energy is really incredible in Milan during design week.
And as Alberto said, it really is the opportunity for everyone to challenge themselves, to create amazing experiences and basically to go bigger, higher and further every year.
A great example of this is Dimore Studio — I think we can say that they steal the show each time, in a good way!
I was completely blown away by the installation at Dimore Centrale. J’ai pris une claque esthétique. It was an immersive, magnificent and decadent, back in time, all in the details, decor & scenography. And everyone agreed that it was their favorite of all.

I also loved Gubi at Bagni Misteriosi — amazing location, great set up, the Gubi team were easy to talk to, they were really eager to know if people enjoyed it, and the whole thing was pretty well run.

And, of course, part of my top 3 was the Doppia Firma exhibition at Palazzo Litta where I interviewed Alberto Cavalli. I was familiar with the concept of « double signature — a dialogue between design and artisanal excellence » as India Mahdavi participated in 2018. I particularly like how they place the artisan, the « maestro d’arte », at the same level as the designer. And how the pieces interact with the palazzo, too. It’s like a conversation between the antique and the contemporary.

Which is actually what Milan is all about.
And as each of my 4 guests summed it up pretty well in one word — Salone stands for Epiphanies, Collaborative, Solare and Primavera.
And how would I describe Salone 2023 in one word? Exaltant. Exhilarating!
See you next year!

This is the recap in French of the Episode #3.1 which is fully in English

Qui sont Les Crafties ?
Les Crafties c’est un duo de designers et scénographes, composé de Marie-Marie Vergne et Jeanne Martin Taton.
Les Crafties ce sont deux jeunes femmes qui viennent du Sud, respirent le Sud, vivent dans le Sud — après de brèves incartades nordistes pour leurs études et leur premier atelier — et expriment le Sud dans chaque centimètre carré de leur travail, qui s’inspire notamment de la faune et la flore Méditerranéennes et de leurs souvenirs d’enfance.
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Quand on rencontre Les Crafties, on ressent immédiatement la joie, la complicité et la confiance qui les lie.
Ce qui m’intéressait c’était de comprendre comment elles ont commencé, comment elles travaillent en binôme, les éventuelles difficultés qu’elles rencontrent, et leur rapport à l’autre.
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Elles n’avaient pas prémédité de créer leur studio avant de participer à la première édition de la Design Parade Toulon organisée par la Villa Noailles — et elles en parlent merveilleusement bien : « Les équipes sont extraordinaires, et c’était la première fois qu’on nous donnait les moyens de bénéficier d’une équipe technique — de passer, au-delà du scolaire, à une réalisation dans le réel ».
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Elles nous parlent aussi de leurs environnements familiaux respectifs, qui les ont encouragées à vivre de leur art, et de tout ce que leur apporte leur duo.
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Jean-Pierre Blanc is the Director of the Villa Noailles, which operates as a national hub for fashion, art and design.
He is a passionate, committed man with strong values and he is devoted to promoting young artists and designers.

Le mois d’août en France, c’est sacré.
Ça rime avec congés payés, coquillages et crustacés, chassé-croisé, bison futé.

Et c’est surtout une invitation au farniente, à la dolce vita — à l’oisiveté.
L’oisiveté — dont l’étymologie latine “otium”, s’oppose au “negotium” — désigne “l’état de quelqu’un qui vit sans travailler et sans avoir d’occupation permanente” (Larousse).

Souvent associée à la paresse, elle est pourtant indispensable à la régénération, et donc à la créativité.

Avec Ismérie, on a parlé de tout sauf de cheveux.
Et pourtant les cheveux, c’est sa passion.
Comme elle aime se définir, elle est « hair lover » — amoureuse de chevelures.
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Dans un entretien empreint de sa sincérité, son humour et son humilité, elle nous raconte notamment comment elle a été rattrapée par son destin, comment elle a commencé dans la coiffure avant de fonder son salon éponyme @atelier_ismerie il y a 10 ans, ses galères d’entrepreneur et ses erreurs de manager.
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Ce qui me fascine chez Ismérie c’est son agilité — sa flexibilité, son aptitude à écouter son entourage et son équipe, se remettre en question et apprendre de ses erreurs, prendre des décisions rapidement et oser.
Et sa capacité à créer du lien. Ce qui plaît à sa clientèle, qui est devenue sa communauté, c’est évidemment le talent et le sens du service mais c’est aussi un style détendu, naturel, accessible.
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Ismérie s’est entourée de personnes tout aussi merveilleuses, animées des mêmes valeurs :
💇‍♀️ Ambrine @ambrinegrs
🔥 Clémence @clemence_flamme
🎨 Lucas @itscoeurnoir
✂️ Marc-Antoine @marc_antoined
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Après l’interview d’Ismérie, fondatrice du salon de coiffure Atelier Ismérie, voici un bonus sur un sujet qu’elle tenait à aborder car ça lui a changé la vie : le coaching.