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Pierre Sauvage, Awakening The Senses
Even from the pavement, the 18th century mansion that houses Pierre Sauvage’s apartment is intriguing. What world could lie beyond this huge wooden front door? Clearly a magnificent one if the entrance hall is anything to go by, with its museum-style grandeur and wall hangings that line the staircase. A snippet of the Casa Lopez style that the delightful owner – accompanied by his three dogs – urges us to enjoy in his usual elegant manner. The manner of a discreet host with a well-established reputation, whose vision of tableware is nothing short of a feast for our eyes. A philosophy where tableware creates a universe that envelops us, caresses our senses and exudes a wealth of emotions. A man who loves comfort. And, therefore, makes it feel so, in addition to the visual appeal that both he and his guests appreciate. Designed in 2014 with the help of architect Franz Potisek, the interior of the apartment is a succession of rooms – some hidden, some open – and feels like a real home. A beautifully organised interior, where wafts of fresh laundry and home cooking combine in a house where meals (three a day!) feel more like special occasions. An almost southern French attitude from this former luxury brand press and public relations expert who is passionate about the use of colour and materials. A lover of statement flooring, this Parisian chose a different pattern for each one. A striking look around which he incorporates other decorative elements for a home that’s coherent, welcoming and calming. An interior that’s cosy despite the magnificent 6 metre-high ceilings, and home to a man who in 2016 invested his all in his brand. A taste that is eclectic, precise, generous, but also flowing and fun! Attributes that prove Pierre Sauvage is anything but conventional. So, as the festive season approaches and we end this unforgettable year, our season’s greetings are that we all remain as anti-conformist as ever!
Location
Paris
Author
Caroline Balvay
Photographer
Constance Gennari
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TSF
Pierre, can you introduce yourself, please
Pierre
My name is Pierre Sauvage, I’m 48, I’m Parisian, I love nature, animals, cooking and enjoying life!
TSF
Tell us about your career.
Pierre
I spent 20 years in press and public relations in the luxury goods industry, then six years ago, I took over because Casa Lopez, a brand for which I had done some work on communication in the past.
TSF
What made you decide to take over Casa Lopez in 2014?
Pierre
I knew Casa Lopez well, and I liked the fact that the brand was comfortable and chic, but also accessible. And it was, above all, the one and only brand I was looking at. It was the one I had a vision for. I could imagine my future, my everyday life there.
TSF
Where does your love for the art of living come from?
Pierre
Above all, I love the comfort, the interiors and the way people live their lives. I’ve always been fascinated, even as a child, I holiday homes that work: the smell of laundry, kitchen, leaky taps that you shouldn’t use, like well-oiled machinery. I love mealtimes, the table properly set: it’s the idea of a party three times a day!
TSF
What is it that shines through in the style of Casa Lopez?
Pierre
Casa Lopez is a sort of Eldorado. The idea of a holiday home where the rooms work both inside and out. A place in the south, close to the Mediterranean, where the climate, the fruit, the sunshine and the vegetables are generous and abundant. It’s a dream house, one that you build little by little with the idea that one day you will live there for good!
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TSF
Speaking of style? What would you say is the style of Casa Lopez? And what influences do you bring to it?
Pierre
The Casa Lopez style is Latin and colourful, rooted in the craftsmanship of the Mediterranean basin, and of the south. It’s never ethnic, and it works as well in the city as it does in the countryside. It’s both mixed and precise.
TSF
You worked with some of the greatest before you dedicated yourself to your project. What have you gained from these various collaborations?
Pierre
I started with Christian Dior, and then I went to Jean-Charles Castelbajac. I learned a lot there, as much about blending colours and materials as about requirements and precision.
TSF
Here we are in your home. What does your interior say about you?
Pierre
It says about me that I like comfort, visual and real comfort, but also that I like strong floors, and plain walls and curtains as well as classic structures.
TSF
What kind of furniture and objects will we find here?
Pierre
A mixture of 18th-century furniture, together with lots of antique objects picked up in Drouot, in antique shops or flea markets, all rubbing shoulders with lots of baskets and toys for the dogs. And then there are paintings, some contemporary, some not!
TSF
You’ve published a book last year, “Be My Guest: At Home with the Tastemakers”, where 20 personalities reveal their interiors and, above all, their tables. Which one has made the biggest impression on you?
Pierre
All of them, each in their own individual way! I have a particular fondness for the Poliakoff family’s Russian Easter, and I made all the recipes again this summer. I like their taste, which is both classic and eccentric, and the way they mix very simple and extremely sophisticated objects.
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TSF
What will yours look like this holiday season?
Pierre
Red and green! Classic English on a wool tartan tablecloth with lots of flowers. I’m being quite unfaithful to the Iberian style (laughs).
TSF
Which guests would you like to bring together if you could?
Pierre
Those that I am going to gather together for the occasion. My closest family, I’m so happy to have them back for Christmas!
TSF
Could you give the readers of The Socialite Family five tips for addressing their tables?
Pierre
For your festive table, try a wool tartan tablecloth, it’s easy on the eye, and it feels wonderful. Bring out your family dinner service or find unique pieces that reinforce the idea of being together and sharing. Fill it with colourful plates and flowers, as well as lots of candles. And above all,… no white!
TSF
What are your favourite addresses for decoration in Paris?
Pierre
The À Paris chez Antoinette Poisson. The antique dealers,Arthur Bruet and Frédéric Sportis in the 9th arrondissement. François Dorléans’ refractory gallery on Boulevard Saint-Germain. And the shop La Tuile à Loup.
TSF
Where will we find you in the coming months?
Pierre
In my shop at 27, Boulevard Raspail, “Tissus Choisis” by Casa Lopez, where you can come and discover fabrics never before available in Paris – and sometimes in Europe – created by French, English, American or Spanish designers.
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