Three ambassadors of French style.

Women have largely taken over the field of interior design. What makes them different from men? Nothing. Except that nowadays, they’re getting into it with the same bold spirit and are more likely than their venerable elders to reach the highest levels of the industry. Three young female-led studios taking part in Maison&Objet In The City carry on the proud tradition of the French art of living with gusto, using a mix of luxury, creativity, a sense of historical legacy, and craftsmanship. Each of them produces their own furniture collection, made up of bespoke designs created for their clients.

Emma Donnersberg was born in France and studied at Tulane University in New Orleans, followed by the Parsons School of Design in New York. She divides her time between Paris and the United States, where she decorated an apartment with a stunning view over New York City in shades of white, beige, and gold. Her furniture is inspired by nature, taking on the shape of clouds or mushrooms. “All you have to do is look at their organic shapes”, she says. “They’re relaxing.”
Marion Stora also set off to conquer America. In New York, she began an interior design project and looked for a gallery to display her first collection of furniture, which she will present at Maison&Objet In The City on rue de Beaune. A graduate of Pennighen, she worked in London for some time, then worked on yacht interiors before opening her own firm in 2011. Her furniture is made in collaboration with the crème de la crème of artisans. You’ll be able to discover her Mona table, with its feet sculpted by artist Mauro Mori, beneath a tabletop shaped by Pierre Bonnefille. She also works with the Vermont workshops and Manufacture d’Aubusson Robert Four. “Luxury”, she says, “is feeling the presence of human hands.”
Lastly, Virginie Friedmann and Delphine Versace (Friedmann&Versace) will present Constellation, their collection of furniture that pays homage to fine craft artisans, like so many stars that light up their night sky. The inlay work on their folding screen was done by visual artist Antoine Laborde, in the form of a fantastical landscape. The coffee table is the work of both glassmaker Olivier Juteau and bronze artist Eric Lopes de Sousa, with its feet cast by the last artisan to have worked with Alberto Giacometti. And the mahogany sofa is made by Manufacture Henryot & Cie and is upholstered in fabric by Dedar. Head over to Codimat on rue du Cherche-Midi to discover these one-of-a-kind pieces.