On any given day, forking over 70€ for a single plate requires a moment of hesitation and second thoughts. But at Astier de Villatte, it’s an action that comes willingly. After meeting in the nineties at the Beaux Arts in Paris, designers Benoit Astier de Villatte and Ivan Pericoli opened their flagship boutique on rue Saint Honoré. The store is filled with their signature ceramic creations, using techniques passed down from Benoit’s father. All handmade, each piece proudly brandishes its uniqueness and imperfections, and no two are ever alike, making an Astier de Villatte item something truly special to have in one’s home.
Shopikon recently spoke with one of Astier de Villatte’s founders Ivan Pericoli, who talked to us about the creative process involved in their ceramics, stationery and other products.
Shopikon: Three words associated with the style and aesthetic of Astier de Villatte products?
Ivan Pericoli: Archeology, Animisme, Assorted tricks.
S: Where is the workshop of Astier de Villatte situated, and how many people work in the creating the ceramics?
IP: Astier de Villatte ceramics are all fabricated by hand in our studio in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, under the care of 25 artisans.
S: Tell us a bit about the process involved in making an Astier de Villatte product. How much time does it take to create a single plate, for example?
IP: There are several steps in the fabrication of an object, such as a plate, for example : creating the slab sheet, stamping the sheet on a plaster cast, cutting, drying, first firing, glazing, then the second firing. All this takes at least fifteen days.
S: How often do you release new products or designs?
IP: Several times a year, often in September, January and in the spring. But you can find most of the old models in our catalogue; in fact, there are thousands of references in our catalogue.
S: You also make your own paper goods. Are the stationery made in the same place as the ceramics?
IP: No, they’re fabricated in the Parisian suburb l’Haÿ les Roses by Monsieur Huin, who handles the biggest typographic composition workshop in France.
S: What machine do you use for the stationery? What are the techniques used?
IP: We use old, shiny black machines resembling a 1950s Rolls Royce. The techniques involved are linotype and typography; we use images engraved on metal plates, or lead letter molds, as in the time of Gutenberg.
S: Who are the designers/artists that Astier de Villatte collaborate with, and what are your criteria for choosing them?
IP: Our collaborators should be kind, well-bred and talented; which is the case with all the people we work with: John Derian, Commune de Paris, Nathalie Lété, Dana Wyse, Patch NYC, etc.
S: Astier de Villatte’s upcoming projects?
IP: In a few months we will be releasing a collection of three new eaux de colognes scents, created by the wonderful Françoise Caron, which we eagerly await.
Many thanks to Ivan Pericoli and Emilie Mazeaud.