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How and why did you get into the interior design industry?

I studied in Lyon and Annecy most of my life. As I was growing up, I wanted to do interiors, but back in the 80s, in France, it was a very elitist sector and not as well known as today, thanks to TV, Internet or schools.

I am sure if you ask people and friends I studied with, they can tell you, all I was talking about was related to chairs, sofas, accessories, lighting, how to move objects and furniture, how to make lampshades or a sofa out of palettes... Always with piles and piles and piles of interior magazines and catalogs around me.

If you ask my old classmates, they thought I was too eccentric, as no one around me was into interiors. 

After studying German literature at university, I decided to leave to Annecy to study international business, economics and marketing. All my internships have always been related to interiors and import/export of homeware. I started with Couleurs d'Interieur/Pro Living/Zago. I feel blessed my internship tutors in my final year in Annecy (Jerome, Fred and Thierry), advised me to consider the UK to find work. Frederic used to tell me, London is the mecca of interiors, everything starts in London. Design in Milan, interior design in London. After my BA, I found a 'VIE' placement at Texdecor: the mission was to develop Casamance and Camengo, luxury brands of fabrics & wallpapers, in London. I remember it as if it was yesterday. My manager, Vianney, at the time, called me a few days before to leave to London asking if I didn't mind to got to Ireland instead. My parents were petrified. I thought to myself "what do I have to lose? Let's go!" 

When you are 20, you look at life differently, don't you?

After becoming the UK sales director for Casamance, I have been approached by Sergio Dall'Olio to work for DEDAR Milano. I set up the full UK operations for DEDAR at the Chelsea Harbour.​

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Talking about inspiration, which designers do you love the most?​

• Jo Berryman, for her irreverently bold and stylishly functional style.  

• Fiona Barratt, for her signature design aesthetic of bold silhouettes, texture and diverse materiality.

• Sarah Lavoine, for her colours and the fact that she doesn't hide she is a self-taught interior designer.

• I love Simone Sisters, Cecile Simeone, based in Lyon. 

• Bérengère Leroy who has an incredibly innovative line of products. 

• Marcel Wanders, for his boldness and uniqueness. 

• David Collins, I feel blessed I met him on numerous occasions, at dinners and at the showroom when I used to work at as Dedar's UK managing director.​