Factory & Friends: Meeting with Vincent Thévenon from Maison Thévenon.

The history of Maison Thévenon spans several generations. Today, it is one of the most recognized furnishing fabric publishers in France, perfectly combining French craftsmanship and contemporary creation. It is around these same values that we met to begin a collaboration, which we recount by giving the floor to Vincent Thévenon.

What is the history of Maison Thévenon? How did it all start?

It all began in 1908 with lace, a specialty of Puy-en-Velay. My great-grandfather, Victor Thévenon, laid the first stones of a fabulous adventure without realizing that his company would perpetuate French craftsmanship on an international scale decades later.

In the 1980s, the company joined the world of furnishing fabric publishers with Olivier Thévenon, who developed woven and printed fabrics as well as hand-painted fabrics. A colorist and visionary, he revitalized the sector and gave the company an international reputation.

When I took over the family business in 2006, I wanted to infuse it with everything I had learned and inherited: the love of beautiful things and well-done work, the harmony of colors, good taste, simplicity, French craftsmanship, and luxury without arrogance. In fact, I have been immersed in this trade from a very young age.

How did you meet Factory?

Our Maison is, above all, a family adventure and a journey of friendships built over time. This is how I love to work, by building solid relationships. When I met Nicolas Micallef, I quickly realized that we shared the same taste for excellence, craftsmanship, and simple beauty. Factory was rethinking its headquarters with the idea of highlighting true French craftsmanship, and that’s how our collaboration began.

How did you contribute to our offices?

We were involved in the new Factory offices by taking charge of all the furnishing fabrics for the common areas. For example, we designed the (very!) large curtains for the restaurant. It was not only about finding a pattern that matched Factory’s universe but also carefully considering the very strict standards related to the operation of the space. More recently, we started an exclusive creation process to design a Factory pattern and outfit other spaces to come.

What do your own offices look like?

It is essential for me to feel close to my product. My offices, therefore, feature wall hangings that are regularly changed according to my collections and desires, currently a velvet Jacquard inspired by the 1950s and designer Pierre Guariche, which goes very well with my grandfather’s desk from the same era.

Is it important to work in a beautiful environment? What are your rituals to start working?

I would even say it is essential. To feel good, I need to work in a warm, beautiful, and orderly office with an added soul. I must love every detail of this place; otherwise, my eye is disturbed and, therefore, my mind. Every morning, I start my day with the daily press, a real newspaper not a tablet, and my long coffee.

And finally, what is your definition of beauty?

For me, beauty is a matter of harmony. It must have a form of obviousness and timelessness. Completely subjectively, green and its hundreds of variations are the colors I find most subtle, vibrant, and elegant. I love warm materials like oak and cold ones like marble. To feel good, I love round and warm shapes that bring me a sense of well-being, with the smell of polished parquet reminding me of the well-maintained and sublimated past.

In the images: Vincent Thévenon’s offices, Maison Thévenon fabrics at Factory, Casa Lopez and Cordelia de Castellane collections, and the workshops.