Factory & Friends: Meeting with Amélie du Chalard from Amélie Maison d’Art.

The story of our collaboration with Amélie Maison d’Art began a few years ago. A meeting and a shared philosophy led us to develop projects together. Here, we tell the genesis of this story by meeting Amélie du Chalard, founder of Amélie Maison d’Art.

What is the story of Amélie Maison d’Art? How did it all start?

It all started with a favorable family background: I have no talent, but I grew up observing my mother, a sculptor, and was made aware of business aspects by my father, a corporate lawyer. Thus, I quickly developed both an appreciation for artistic underpinnings and an entrepreneurial spirit (in small & mid-cap investment banking).

I left M&A at the end of 2015 and decided to create Amélie Maison d’Art. I lived on Rue Jacob in Saint Germain des Prés, surrounded by galleries, and I noticed that galleries maintained a very traditional and somewhat rigid approach, while all industries were trying to improve their customer experiences.

At the time, my wish was simple: how to shake up the codes of traditional galleries by rethinking the experience one can have in their spaces?

How did you meet Factory?

I met Factory through a mutual client, Métafore, for whom we manage the artistic curation of their spaces.

We have a lot in common with Factory, starting with the overall philosophy: rethinking a traditional profession, offering a holistic, bespoke, multi-service, and highly client-oriented approach, all with great execution agility.

Our client challenges are also similar. Indeed, we have two main areas of activity: one dedicated to individuals and one dedicated to professionals, including offices and company headquarters (Antin Infrastructures, Freshfields, LVMH, etc.). In this sector, we face the same issues as Factory: offering a very personalized, surprising, and differentiating service that embraces the brand's DNA.

How did you contribute to our offices?

We contributed to Factory’s offices by selecting and hanging artworks in the common areas. The initial display is intentionally eclectic, knowing that at Amélie Maison d’Art, we favor abstract works and have a strong preference for texture. We approached the dining room with a display of large-format works exploring a diversity of techniques (paintings, works on paper, photographs, etc.) to warm up and animate this large space.

The idea is to regularly change this display; the next one we are preparing will be more radical and more wabi-sabi.

What do your own offices look like?

Our main offices are on the upper floor of the gallery, which is located on the ground floor of an 18th-century mansion in the 6th arrondissement, overlooking a large 600m² garden. They are simple but elegant: the offices were designed by our architect Tess Walraven, the floor is in coir, the furniture in walnut, everything is simple but functional and chic. There are paintings on the walls, of course, alongside artist sketches and thank-you notes from collectors pinned nearby.

Is it important to work in a beautiful environment?

I am convinced that the phrase "a healthy mind in a healthy body" could also extend to "a healthy mind in a healthy environment." To work well, you need to feel in your element, and the work environment contributes to this well-being.

What are your rituals to get into work mode?

A hello, a tea, and off we go!

And finally, what is your definition of beauty?

Beauty is what makes us feel good and happy; it is subjective: we don’t all have the same needs to feel good. Beauty generates emotions and a sense of satisfaction and admiration in each of us, and while beauty is not universal, we all need it!

To learn more about Amélie Maison d'Art: https://www.ameliemaisondart.com/en

Pictures of Amélie’s offices and the selection by Amélie Maison d’Art at Factory and Oh My Cream.