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CREDIT : Stéphanie Davilma, Florian Touzet
Elodie Guichaoua won First Prize of the second edition of the Sessùn Craft Prize with her Filacea hanging luminaire, made of a blend of plant fibers and Mediterranean know-how. Inspired by the sea and living materials, this interior architect and designer created a piece that combines tradition and modernity. Let's take a look back at her career and her vision of design.
Can you tell us about your background? What led you to interior design and architecture?
It all began with my childhood in Brittany, where I grew up in the countryside, close to the sea. My mother's dedication to horticulture and my father's passion for fishing helped me develop a real curiosity for nature from an early age. I spent hours building herbariums, making tree houses and, above all, observing living things in all their complexity. My first training course, in upholstery, at the Lycée des métiers d'Auray in Morbihan, was a key step. It gave me a taste for detail and textiles, as well as invaluable techniques that I continue to use in my experimental projects. My desire to create quickly drew me to interior architecture and design. I went on to complete a double degree at EFET in Paris, which enabled me to develop a more global and conceptual approach to design. Today, I work in Brittany on a variety of projects, ranging from hotels to restaurants, as well as projects for private individuals. At the same time, I'm developing my own workshop, a space for exploration where I create furniture, work with materials, and learn techniques such as dyeing and weaving, as I go along.
How would you describe your style as a designer?
My style is above all what I would term textured. Materials and techniques are often the starting point for each project. A piece of leather, a pattern of copper wires, or even a scrap of wood found in the forest can be the inspiration behind an object. For me, materials are the bridge between us and objects, because they appeal to our senses. We need to touch them, to brush against them, to hold them in our hands. Touch is at the heart of my approach. I want each object I create to tell a story through the material that gives it life. These stories, carried by the materials and the craftsmanship, help to generate new combinations, to open up endless fields of exploration, which is what I strive to discover through my work.
Which of your creations do you feel is the most representative of your work?
The project for the Sessùn Craft Prize is a real combination of my passions and my career path. It marries the legacy of a traditional craft, my deep-rooted connection with the sea and fishing, which shaped my childhood, and the vegetal anchorage in a specific territory. It's the coming together of these elements that nourishes and underpins my work. Creating a larger piece like this Filacea luminaire was an exciting challenge, quite different from the small-scale work I do in my studio.
What are your main sources of inspiration, whether artistic, cultural or personal?
Nature is clearly my main source of inspiration, as are ancient techniques. I also like to take a scientific look at our environment to better understand it. For example, I greatly admire the work of Gilles Clément, whom I enjoy reading, as well as the poetic research of naturalist Lore Kutschera on root systems. I'm also inspired by the work of people who experiment with matter on different scales, such as the architect Bijoy Jain, the designer Vincenzo De Cotiis, the composer Iannis Xenakis, the artist Lenore Tawney, or the jewelry of Jacqueline de Jong.
Materials play a key role in your creations. Which materials do you prefer, and how do you choose them?
I love materials that have a soul! Whether they're left raw or transformed to be refined, the important thing is the story they can tell us. Out of all materials, I have a particular relationship with textiles. I'm fascinated by their structure, their feel and what they generate in space. They can be worked on any scale, from architecture to a simple woven metal cable, and I find that captivating.
You won first prize in the second edition of the Sessùn Craft Prize with your Filacea suspended luminaire. Can you tell us about this project?
It's a masterpiece mounted in the main meeting room, measuring almost 6m in length. The luminaire is composed of creels, which are fishing baskets made from local plant fibers. They are suspended from a metal tube, and strung like pearls. Each creel was handmade by two fishermen: Frédéric Sitzia and Michel Serreri.
Can you describe the creative process behind Filacea, from the initial idea to its final realization?
As I mentioned earlier, the sea was a central theme for this project. I feel strongly about the work of Mediterranean fishermen, especially the idea of highlighting an ancient skill that is gradually disappearing. It was not easy to find fishermen who practice this craft, but in the end I collaborated with two Corsican fishermen who made the pieces. The manufacture of creels is a very old folk art. Their shapes, which have hardly evolved, are adapted to fishing: round for fish, conical for lobster. These objects are above all utilitarian, and it seemed essential to me to respect their original form. The process consisted in assembling and composing these creels to create a unity, in the form of a sculpture. If you wanted to dismantle the luminaire, you could use the creels for fishing.
How did you integrate the traditional techniques of Mediterranean weavers to your work?
Well, I left it to them to make the creels by using their know-how and preserving their traditional techniques. Each stitch, whether finer or wider, echoes their experience and personality. They collect the fibers they need for their creations from around their homes, which gives each piece a unique, local dimension. They used four different fibers for this project: olive, rush, myrtle and cane from Provence. The fact of combining these fibers with their own techniques brings a very special richness and blend to the project.
What do you think Filacea brings to the space in which it has been set up?
Surprisingly, the mix of mesh scales lends a certain lightness to the creel structure. Strung by cables, the suspension appears to float in space, as if hanging in water. The lighting, concealed in the metal tube running through the fixture, diffuses a soft, warm light that enhances the fishnets. It adds an almost cosmic dimension to the room, creating a special atmosphere.
What do you think of the Sessùn brand as a label and the Sessùn Craft Prize initiative?
The Sessùn Craft Prize offers a wonderful opportunity to express oneself through meaningful projects, and I consider this a real blessing! The entire Sessùn team and Nathalie Dewez, who accompanied me throughout this project, were a precious support. Sessùn is defined by the presence of inspiring women, a genuine love of travel, a deep respect for craftsmanship and, of course, the warmth of the Mediterranean sun.
