In the Studio with Marin Montagut
Liberty takes a trip to Paris, to visit the home and studio of the elegantly eclectic designer and illustrator
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In the Studio with Marin Montagut
Liberty takes a trip to Paris, to visit the home and studio of the elegantly eclectic designer and illustrator
Tucked in a serene, vine draped courtyard, just meters from the hustle of Paris’ busy Gare du Lyon, is the private studio, and home, of French illustrator and designer Marin Montagut. Sunlight streams through the windows on to a scene that resembles an Alladin’s cave of antiques: every surface is adorned with a careful curation of items, each selected and sourced by Montagut himself.
From anonymous artworks, to vintage religious relics, papier mâché masks, a vast array of books and even an owl shaped lamp: the shelves are overflowing with the inspiration for Montagut’s delicate, instantly recognisable style. He tells us almost everything is sourced from Normandy antiques sales, as well as Paris’s famed flea markets. “My cleaner comes once a fortnight,” he adds with a wry smile. “There is a lot to dust”.
In the midst of this cornucopia, a worn wooden desk is strewn with Montagut’s latest illustrations. Watercolour paints and pencils sit alongside illustrations of playing cards and fish, all in his recognisable style: exquisite details, vibrant colours and an almost poetic energy.
Montagut himself is everything one would expect of the man behind this brand. He’s enduringly enthusiastic, energetic and warm – with a typically Parisian relaxed manner that gives way to childlike excitement when he discusses his art and antiques.
Inspired in equal parts by a childhood surrounded in antiques, and a love for the city of Paris: he created objects he describes as “everyday”, but elevated by illustrations of characters and scenes that add a sense of whimsy and refinement. From glasses to cushions, trinket trays to mugs: the collection is vast, with each piece carefully considered by Montagut.
Alongside his personal studio, which is in an upstairs room in his home (he asks us to remove our shoes on arrival, and has a selection of woollen, pompom topped Greek slippers ready for guests to use), Montagut has a second workshop in Paris, where 90% of all the brand’s products are handmade.
As his brand takes over a section of the Third Floor at Liberty, we joined Montagut in Paris to ask him about his brand, his inspirations and to take a glimpse into his marvel-filled world.
In the Studio with Marin Montagut
When did you first become interested in design and illustration?
From my childhood. My parents are antiques dealers and my grandmother was an antiques dealer, an artist and painter. I grew up in a family of collectors. From the very beginning, I grew up in a house with everything was antique. That's why I don't want a white studio. I need to be in the studio with all these antique items I collect: for inspiration to create the new items for my brand.
Where do you go for inspiration, to find your collection of antiques?
I found all these antique items in Normandy. I have a house in Normandy, so during the weekend, I travel around with my car and look for new items. And in in Paris too. I'm travelling a lot so every time I check which markets I can find and I come back to Paris with a new item.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
I think very colourful: I need colours around me. Also, poetic. When they come to my shop people tell me: “Oh my God, you’re drawing, but you're telling us lot of stories and beautiful things when we use your items”
And you said you describe Paris as the city of inspiration. What do you find inspiring about the city?
Everything. Everything in Paris. It’s special for me because I grew up in South of France, I went to Paris when I was 19 years old and it was a big love. Love at first sight. And so it's like I jumped in a postcard.
When you are a child living in in South of France, you see Paris through TV or movies. Each detail: the architecture and the gardens of Paris: everything was an inspiration.
I started to create some items, some souvenir of Paris. I loved the idea that when you are travelling in a in a city, you are looking for a souvenir of Paris, but it's very rare to find something made in Paris with love, by hand and about the city. I love the idea of people, tourists and travellers coming to my shop and buying some things to take back to their country.
What are some of the artisanal techniques that you find interesting or most enjoy using?
In our main studio, we have a team of artisans making 90% of everything by hand. Everything is hand painted, from the glasses to the secret books. I wanted to bring back these kinds of techniques that take time: we can’t mass produce 1,000 glasses a day. We do maybe 15 glasses a day. Handmade production is very important to me.
When you're creating something new, what's the process that you go through?
Sometimes it starts in the flea markets, for example, my inspiration for the Book of Secrets Box started in the flea market when I found a book it's from the beginning of 19th century: it’s a secret book. During the 18th century 19th century, the middle was cut out page by page so you could put secrets inside: jewellery or love letters. And after that you put in the library. I wanted to tell a new story about this antique item. So, I made a collection of them. They’re 100% made in Paris and are all hand painted. They have a little key, and you can hide things inside. I love this item.
Aside from the antiques that you have in here, are there any kind of artists or designers whose work you find inspiring?
It's usually the anonymous artist. I'm very moved when I find a painting in a flea market and I am very moved by naïve painting.
A lot of the objects that you create are everyday objects, why is that something that you really love to create?
I'm illustrator, so I doing everything with watercolours here in my, on my office, on my desk. I started to put my drawings on silk, to make some scarves, and it felt like Christmas Day! When you discover your creation, your drawings, your paintings on a new medium. For me it was so exciting to give a life to my drawings.
My drawings are only the beginning when they’re on paper. And after, they have another story: life on glass, on porcelain, on fabric. When I discovered this, I was like a child on Christmas morning, when you when you open your gifts.
My drawings are only the beginning when they’re on paper. And after, they have another story: life on glass, on porcelain, on fabric.
How important is it to you to be stocked at Liberty?
When I was 18, I left the South of France to go to London to study, I spent one year at Central Saint Martins. So London was the very, very beginning of my adult life. When I was in London at 18, I went to liberty and for me it was like a dream: a dream house, dream building and dream collections. From the beginning I thought, okay, if I'm going to open something in London, for sure it has to be Liberty. It was an honour to open this pop-up.
