Family
In Paris, at the lovely, joyful hideaway of Olympic fencer, Enzo Lefort, and jewellery designer, Kitesy Martin
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Enzo Lefort, Kitesy Martin and four-year-old Indya
The apartment, carried by all the joyful waves emanating from it, opens up to you like a well-preserved little cabin. Enzo Lefort and Kitesy Martin chose to settle in the east of Paris: it is here that the busy and active lives of the top-level fencer and the jewellery designer from Kitesy Martin Studio take a pause. Daily family life is quite relaxed and cheerful, though it adheres to the constraints of Enzo Lefort's athletic schedule. In the living room, which also serves as a dining room and an open kitchen, the large bookshelf is adorned with countless trinkets, sentimental mementos, objects, and artworks collected over time by this creative couple. Creative in the plural, because they have more than one trick up their sleeves and more than one project in progress... A lively meeting on the eve of the Paris Olympic Games.
Location
Paris
Author
Elsa Cau
Photos and videos
Valerio Geraci, Carine Bouhier
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Dans le salon, au pied de notre
Indya dessine.
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Le salon-salle à manger, avec le "principal élément de déco de la maison : la bibliothèque", remplie de souvenirs, d'objets et d'oeuvres. A gauche, notre table basse
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La passion pour la photographie jusque dans les appareils vintage, chinés aux quatre coins du monde.
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Le moins que l'on puisse dire, c'est que l'escrimeur Enzo Lefort est pluridisciplinaire. Ici, le manga autobiographique "Enzo".
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TSF
Kitesy, Enzo, can you introduce yourselves?
Kitesy
I'm the founder of the Kitesy Martin Studio brand. I design jewellery and upcycle objects. My work covers decor, clothing, footwear, and different objects. I live here with Indya, Enzo and Yolo.
Enzo
I'm a fencer and member of the France de Fleuret team. I'm taking part in the Paris Olympics and am currently training hard. It will be my fourth Olympic Games. I'm also a photographer and I live here with my wife, Kitesy, our little girl, Indya and Yolo who's scratching my arm as we speak.
TSF
What were your upbringings?
Kitesy
I studied Applied Arts, specialising in textiles, at Olivier de Serres, then specialised in styling at the Arts Décoratifs de Paris. After that I worked for various haute-couture brands. I spent time at Chloé, Balmain, Louis Vuitton. In fashion, as a designer or assistant designer. I then moved on and became a freelancer. I launched a leather goods brand that no longer exists, followed my current jewellery brand.
Enzo
Do you mind if I cut out Didi's drawing while we talk? I started fencing in Guadeloupe when I was five years old. I moved to the Paris region when I was 16 to study sport. After than I studied physiotherapy. After my diploma, I was lucky that I didn't have to find work straight away as I was already earning money from fencing. I started photography towards the end of my studies. It became more and more important and is now a big part of my life I've brought out books of photos, I've exhibited. It's something I do alongside my fencing career. There's also my 'Le Rebond' podcast which ties in the theme of failure in high level sportspeople. I've now released a dozen episodes. But make no mistake, fencing's still there: I'm a double individual world champion, a team world champion, a four-time European championship team winner, a team Olympic champion and a team Olympic silver medal winner.
TSF
What hyperactivity!
Enzo
I think I get that from my wife.
Kitesy
He's worse than me!
TSF
Kitesy, how did designing jewellery come about?
Kitesy
Firstly, I've always loved wearing loads of jewellery. At kindergarten, when I was Indya's age, they'd call me 'Madame Bijou' (Mrs. Jewel). I grew up with a mother who loved costume jewellery. I remember rummaging through her drawers. When I launched my first brand - the leather goods one, I realised the problem with being a fashion freelancer is all the intermediaries between us and the client. So, after that, I wanted to create a brand that didn't involve so many middlemen. The great thing about being a costume jewellery designer when you're someone creative and manual is you can make the prototypes and first pieces yourself. It's a human-scale production, it's manageable. I started out alone working in my living room, and now there are ten of us in the office! We're actually moving into some new Paris offices in September.
TSF
Isn't is difficult juggling all these careers?
Enzo
It's mainly a question of organisation. It often creeps into my spare time. Plus I'm lucky to have a supportive group of friends who I love working with. I often talk about my projects with my closest friends, and we often do stuff together. Not forgetting that these projects are generally long-term, things that I prepare for in advance meaning there's no last-minute rush. It's important to have family time and cut-out pictures with my daughter!
TSF
Is it easy to manage your family life alongside a flourishing career as well as your fame?
Enzo
First of all, it keeps me grounded. In my case, it helps me deal with any failures, defeats or poor performances because the next day I have to get up and get my little Didi ready for school. Life doesn't end there!
Kitesy
I find it takes a lot of organising to manage both, to manage everything. Having a young daughter certainly puts things into perspective. It helps me refocus, it makes me more efficient too. It makes me want to do a good job at work, so I can then concentrate on my home life and focus on my daughter. Plus it makes the time the three of us spend together really precious, as it can be a rare thing due to our busy lives. Yesterday we all chilled out with a TV dinner, and it was great.
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L'une des récentes publications des photographies d'Enzo Lefort.
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TSF
Do you manage to share this mental load, and the daily juggle between work, family, and careers...?
Enzo
My fencing career dictates my routine.
Kitesy
He's not his own boss, unlike me.
Enzo
My trainer will send me my schedule, so my routine can change from one week to the other. I have to fit everything else in around my sporting schedule. And I often have to go abroad. I have nine competitions around the world, not to mention the qualifiers. I'm usually away for 5 to 10 days a month. Kitesy deserves a lot of credit as she's left alone with Indya and has to deal with all family matters.
Kitesy
Enzo recently went away for three weeks. So, Harry (ed. his father) came over from Guadeloupe to help me.
Enzo
We're lucky, he's retired and helps us enormously. And Indya loves her grandfather, and he can spend time with his granddaughter - it's not easy living so far away in Guadeloupe...
Kitesy
We usually see each other once a year. So it was a chance to spend more time together.
Enzo
Well, it was a particularly intense time with the Olympic Games fast approaching. Next year, I'm going to cut back on travel a bit. And on training too. I can allow myself to do so. It's a key time in Kitesy's career with the new offices and a brand that's going from strength to strength. So, in the scheme of things, it's my turn to be supportive and take off some of her mental load.
TSF
How are you feeling now the Olympic Games aren't far off?
Enzo
I don't really have time to think about it as my life's so busy. I'm training twice a day, sometime 3 hours in total, sometimes five. I'm preparing myself as best I can. After that, it's all about sport. All I can do is carefully prepare, and we'll see what happens when the games start. Still, I'm delighted to be taking part and to compete in front of my wife, father, mother, sister, and my daughter.
Kitesy
He's pretty knackered! Everything hurts.
Enzo
I'm going to be 33 soon. I started fencing aged 5. And have been a competitive fencer since I was 16. That makes 17 years of practising a sport twice a day except for Saturdays and Sundays... Because that's when competitions are often held. My body's worn out. I have osteoarthritis in every joint, my heel, knees, hip plus damage to my tendons. Like everyone in my situation. Sport's great, but I don't do it to keep healthy, I'm at a competitive level - late nights and pro sports aren't a good mix! But I'm also lucky that I love my job. It can be a tough lifestyle, but when I get to my training sessions, I'm with my friends doing something I love, so I forget about the downsides.
TSF
This is the kind of job that you have to give up while young?
Enzo
Yeah, totally. I'd like to keep going until the Los Angeles Olympics, but I'll be 37 by then, which is considered old. I'm currently the second oldest in our team. So we'll see, I take it season by season.
TSF
And afterwards?
Enzo
I'd love to set up a design studio where I could do what I want and with whom I want, whether I'm working in photography, editing, audio-visual or even communications and marketing. When I take on a project I like to get involved in the communication, marketing, event management side of things...
TSF
Kitesy, your career is going through a turning point right now.
Kitesy
Yes, a massive one. It's a turning point for me, but mainly for my brand. I've decided to give it the opportunities and energy it deserves. I think I was afraid before. To employ people, take risks. But this year I decided to give it my all. And I've added a string to my bow. Before I felt more like a designer, whereas now I'm a company boss. Moving offices, new recruits and, most recently, my collab with Patou; I do feel it's a turning point for the brand. Things are going be happening this year!
TSF
What environments did you grow up in and how did they affect your tastes?
Kitesy
We have very different backgrounds. I grew up with my parents on the outskirts of Paris in a typical suburban house. They weren't really interested in art or creative stuff. I remember that I hated our home's decor when I was little! (Laughs) When my friends came over, when were around four or five, I'd tweak the decor. I remember it now as I can see that Indya really doesn't care how our home looks! I have to say, my parents didn't come from creative backgrounds, so they had doubts and were worried about how I was going to make a living. So, I grew up with that in mind and back then, if someone had told me I was going to be a stylist, create objects and realise my dreams, I wouldn't have believed a word. But, aside from that, my mother was very pretty and elegant. She taught me about materials, what clothes are made of, and trims, whatever the clothing brand. She only bought high-street fashion but taught me that you can always find elegant outfits, whatever your budget. It was her daily challenge. I can see her now, always dressed up, with nail polish and lipstick, and her 1980s shoulder pads!
Enzo
I grew up in a family home in Guadeloupe that had loads of mahogany furniture. My dad built part of the house, mainly the timber work. There were lots of objects from Guyana and Central/South America. But it has to be said, it was a very functional interior. I left for the Paris region quite early on to study sport and I did work placements for seven years. Nine cramped square metres, with my fencing gear, clothes, school stuff... And between seasons you move, so you need to be flexible and mobile. So for a long time I had to be practical decor-wise. Because I had to fit my entire life into two or three suitcases! It was Kitesy who brought out my creative side. I've also developed an eye and photography has helped me a lot in that respect.
TSF
How did you end up in this flat?
Enzo
I've always lived in flats that I found immediately. Same for here... If memory serves, we started looking on a Wednesday evening and that Friday evening I visited this place alone because Kitesy was working. I liked it straight away. Plus I got on with the estate agent, who's a sports fan and recognised me. When I got home, I told Kitesy we should make an offer! She said, "No, not on the first place we find!" So, we visited three other places in the following days. Each once was pretty lame.
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My fencing career dictates my routine.
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Dans la chambre à coucher parentale, les bijoux de Kitesy sont rois.
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TSF
Have you done a lot of work here?
Enzo
No! It's true we didn't have a big renovation budget. We did the decorating, the paint work. It's true that I pay more attention to decor now that we live in a flat that we own. At the same time, it's not a castle so there isn't room for tons of furniture. Little by little, we're focussing on hung pieces. Now that I'm a photographer and hold exhibitions, I have finished prints. Kitesy and I also love art books.
Kitesy
We really liked the layout. Nothing really needed changing. We redid the floor, the paint work and added a walk-in wardrobe in the bedroom.
TSF
Show me something here, an object or work that you particularly like.
Kitesy
The main decor piece has to be the bookshelves. Where, notably, my wedding shoes are on display (laughs). There's the lamp that I drew for a collection a year ago. I love this drawn portrait of Enzo. We've got quite a lot of table lamps.
Enzo
I've got quite a few cameras, I often bargain-hunt. This one's from the former USSR, it was brought out for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. There's also this old camera with a zoom that Kitesy gave me for my birthday. And I love the Fashion Eye photo books - I'm their brand ambassador for the upcoming Olympics. I'd love to do a photo Fashion Eye for Louis Vuitton! And that's the invite to the catwalk show in January, where I hit the runway! I've kept it as a memento. There's also the biographical manga that I created...
TSF
Enzo, what are your photographic influences?
Enzo
I really like Martin Parr's work Ren Hang, too.
TSF
What are your latest updates?
Kitesy
Kitesy Martin Studio is moving into new offices, a workshop-boutique by appointment, which will open in September at 36, Passage Charles Dallery in the 11th arrondissement. At the moment, we're in the midst of renovations... And for the first time, we are offering a collection on the Choose app, available since 22 July.
Enzo
For me, of course, there's the Olympics from 26 July to 11 August, with my events taking place on 29 July. In parallel, there's an exhibition of my photographs at La Samaritaine in Paris, running until 8 September, and another at the Palais de Tokyo, commissioned by the International Olympic Committee, lasting throughout the Olympic Games. Finally, my book "Journal of an Athlete," which chronicles my selection and qualification for the Olympics over more than a year, is available from Fisheye Editions, on their website and at FNAC!
TSF
What are your favourite local spots?
Kitesy
Mori Café (2, Rue des Taillandiers, Paris 11th), a vegan Japanese restaurant that I love. I go there very often. There's also Café Caractère next to Mori (2, Rue des Taillandiers, Paris 11th) which serves exceptional coffee and delicious pastries to take away or enjoy on-site. I also think of Mona Lisait (211 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris 11th), a good discount bookstore chain. The shop on Rue Saint-Antoine specialises in art books.
Enzo
The gourmet deli Chez Edmond (2, Rue Monte Cristo, Paris 20th) with a fine selection of charcuterie, cheeses, wines, and jams. Our coffee spot: Cantine Caféinée (137 bis Rue de Charonne, Paris 11th) and finally, Hark Records (76 Rue Léon Frot, Paris 11th).
TSF
What do you think of The Socialite Family?
Kitesy
For me, The Socialite Family is not just a brand; it's a highly inspiring magazine. I often visit the site for decorating ideas, to see how people design their kitchens and more broadly their homes. Also, to see colour combinations in interiors. I find it very vibrant in general!
Enzo
I admit that it was thanks to my wife that I discovered the world of The Socialite Family. I love the universe and the brand too: I find that the objects and furniture warmly dress up the house!
TSF
Do you have one or more favourite pieces in our collection?
Kitesy
At our place, we have the
. I would have loved to have the
, which are modular, but they don't fit with the dimensions of my living room...
Enzo
I also love our
; it has a design that is both simple and refined, yet full of character.
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