Playground

THE HOME OF PARISIAN DESIGNER VICTORIA WILMOTTE IS LIKE A WORKSHOP/FACTORY, WITH A BRIGHT YELLOW CRANE.

In Paris, nestled between two bridges on the Seine, an anonymous street with an anonymous storefront. If you didn’t know what you were looking for you might mistake it for a traditional business, but it actually contains the office, workshop and playground of Parisian designer Victoria Wilmotte. Born in 1985, Wilmotte first studied interior design in her home city but soon left familiar surroundings to continue her schooling at the Royal College of Art in London. The industrial design course changed her life: «I was always in the workshops, making, learning, understanding techniques. I was fascinated by the processes that take place before production». She opened her first studio in Paris in 2008, which soon became too small. It took her until 2015 to move into the current location which houses both studio space at street level and the “factory” below, which is where the magic happens. «It took me a few years to arrive where I am today in terms of tools and machinery». Victoria’s whole collection is made here, except for painting or coating operations. This is also the place where she can experiment, play with shapes and concepts, moving from the spark of an idea to sketches and templates, to have a fully functioning piece by the end of the day. Her machines are treated with the nobility and respect they deserve, clean and brightly colored. «We had to construct a crane in the middle, to move materials and finished pieces». Adding her touch to this as well, she has painted it bright yellow, making it a characteristic feature of the space. Wilmotte’s collection is available at her recently launched e-shop, directly from her website (victoriawilmotte.fr). THE END