Young French Duo Explore Spatial Memory Through Textiles in Design Parade Installation.

Photography: Luc Bertrand.

The creative partnership between visual artist Lisa Bravi and scenography designer Romain Joly continues to evolve. Fresh from their triumph at Design Parade Toulon 2024, where their textile installation “Mistralou” captured both hearts and the prestigious Chanel Visual Merchandising Prize, the French duo is back with an even more ambitious project.

Their latest venture, “État des lieux,” transforms a historic space within Toulon’s former bishop’s palace into something quite extraordinary.

We have a soft spot for young designers like Lisa Bravi and Romain Joly, who show a singular vision in their pursuit of creativity, and this new installation demonstrates exactly why they’re ones to watch.

Mistralou: Lisa Bravi & Romain Joly’s Breezy Tribute to Provence's Wind.

By harnessing the power of textiles and movement, this installation by Lisa Bravi & Romain Joly breathes with the rhythm of Provence’s most famous natural phenomenon.

Photography: Luc Bertrand.

The project represents a natural progression from their previous work, extending their ongoing dialogue between textile art and scenography. What makes this collaboration compelling is their partnership with two of Chanel’s renowned Métiers d’Art: Ateliers Lognon, masters of pleating, and Atelier Paloma, specialists in bespoke tailoring. This fusion of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary spatial design creates something genuinely innovative.

“État des lieux”, which translates to “inventory of fixtures” or “state of affairs”, appears to explore themes of permanence and transience within architectural space. The installation investigates what remains when we think we’ve taken everything with us, examining the subtle imprints and silences that walls retain over time.

Discover the Magic of Métiers d’art at Design Parade Toulon 2024.

Find out why this international festival continues to be a boon for emerging designers to collaborate with established brands and artisans, emphasising the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Métiers d’art.

Lisa Bravi and Romain Joly. Portrait by Clement Boudet.

The duo’s approach to spatial storytelling feels particularly relevant right now. In an era where we’re constantly questioning what endures and what disappears, their exploration of marked surfaces, torn tapestries, and mysterious cardboard boxes offers a poetic meditation on the traces we leave behind.

Located within the ancient walls of the bishop’s palace, complete with a street-facing window display, the installation promises to blur the boundaries between interior contemplation and public engagement. It’s this kind of thoughtful, layered approach to design that makes emerging talent so exciting to follow.

Dutch Designer Christien Meindertsma Turns Waste Wool Into Colossal Lamb Sculpture.

This innovative installation not only showcases the versatility of wool but also proposes a solution for utilising overlooked resources in the global wool market.

[Images courtesy of Romain Joly. Photography by Luc Bertrand, Cécile Rosenstrauch and Clement Boudet.]