Pierre Yovanovitch, the expression of luxury

But right now, Pierre Yovanovitch is in New York. A year ago, he opened an office on Madisson Avenue. And he’s currently presenting his second furniture collection at the R&Company gallery there. The French interior designer is flaunting his affection for all things American with a collection aptly named ‘Love’. It has to be said that all his creations exude a veritable feeling of warmth, underpinned by outstanding French craftsmanship. His contemporary take on luxury, free of ostentation and excess, his clean lines softened by gentle curves and ogives, his fondness for natural materials; sometimes in their almost raw state, are the unmistakable linchpins of his trademark style. “For me, a beautiful design story always starts with the quality and beauty of the raw materials used. The wood I choose for my projects, for example, is always solid wood. I’m drawn to its depth, its colour, its texture, its patterns, its irregularities and the infinite possibilities it holds.”

“A beautiful design story always starts with the quality and beauty of the raw materials used”

 

As a member of the jury* at the upcoming MAISON&OBJET Rising Talent Awards (lien article jury RT), it will be his job to pick out the rising cream of the French design crop. And it seems as though today’s up-and-coming designers are on exactly the same page as him: “I get the impression designers have finally realized that design isn’t simply about spectacular sketches and trends. It’s also about raw materials and a certain sense of simplicity. I suppose it’s down to the fact that we live in a society where design must have a purpose, be more future-proof, less visible, quieter and more meaningful.”

Pierre Yovanovitch’s take on pared-back luxury adorns the office of the Kering group’s CEO, Kamel Mennour’s art galleries in both Paris and London, and a port winery, la Quinta da Corte, in Portugal, not to mention numerous private residences. Every single project is a bespoke haute couture creation. His love of all things exclusive was, indeed, most probably triggered by his first foray into employment, working alongside Pierre Cardin. “His visionary intuition still inspires me today. My understanding of volumes and shapes is largely down to my understanding of fashion. Pierre Cardin was an architect of clothes”. Yovanovitch’s personal hall of fame features the likes of Mallet-Stevens, Jean-Michel Frank, Denmark’s Flemming Lassen and the American Paul László.

“Pierre Cardin was an architect of clothes”

 

His work is inextricably intertwined with his passion for modern art. “The people we work for are collectors. Each creation plays an integral part in cementing the venue’s vibe, sometimes even dictating the architectural direction”, he explains. And Pierre Yovanovitch loves nothing more than inviting an artist to design something “in situ” for his clients. A handful of lucky collectors consequently have the privilege of living or sleeping “in” Daniel Buren or Tadashi Kawamata’s creations. Alicja Kwade, Thomas Schütte, Rochegaussen, Gunther Förg, Wilhelm Sasnal and Imi Knoebel are other names that roll off his tongue. Claire Tabouret’s whimsical child-filled fresco that now adorns the chapel walls at his Provence chateau serves as a gateway to a world of dreams. Château de Fabrègues. His manifesto and his life’s work.

*The jury responsible for selecting the six French Rising Talent Award winners for the January 2020 edition will consist of Pierre Charpin, designer, Didier Krzentowski, co-founder of the Galerie Kréo, René-Jacques Mayer, Director of the Camondo design school, Françoise Seince, Director of Les Ateliers de Paris, Guillaume Houzé, Director of the Lafayette Anticipation Foundation, and Pierre Yovanovitch.

More about the RISING TALENT AWARDS January 2020