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The Singular Jean-Christophe Aumas
It’s not only Jean-Christophe Aumas’ character that is singular. His history, his style, his home, and also his agency, that bears the name “Singular”. They all echo that trait of character, the definition of which seems to have been invented just for him. The proof is a universe teeming with details, colours, textures… Full of life, in the heart of Paris’ 9th arrondissement, in an apartment that once belonged to a magus. The mysterious ambiance is felt as soon as one enters the hall. Art Deco stained-glass, a patio of greenery on full view through the wide sitting room windows, constantly flooded with autumnal light… the tone is set. This Parisian resident excels in the art of scenography. A talent that for years has been recognised by the most inventive fashion designers of recent decades, for whom he has dreamt up the most sumptuous window displays. Whether it be Phoebe Philo, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs or Albert Elbaz, all have in their own way helped to enrich the artist’s soul. As have his formative travels, which have also sharpened his already keen appetite for antique-hunting. But what is most striking when one enters Jean-Christophe Aumas’ home, is above all his ability to create something “from nothing”. Take for example a simple object, first and foremost a vector for emotion.”Objects I find or discover, that I then enhance in my own way, putting them into a new and different context”. In his home are no “signature” items as such. It’s not the price or the popularity rating of a thing that makes it beautiful. But more its propensity to being dissected, analysed, and reworked by this native of Aix-en-Provence, for whom the home is above all a sort of laboratory. An experimental place, always in movement, where colour plays a key role.
Discover Jean-Christophe Aumas’ unique world in our self-published book, Retrospective. An anthology of the most impressive interior glimpses throughout the history of our medium, available in our shop and on our e-shop.
Location
Paris
Author
Caroline Balvay
Photos and videos
Constance Gennari
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TSF
Jean-Christophe, who are you?
Jean-Christophe
I come from Aix-en-Provence, and I live in Paris. I am an artistic director and scenographer, and, with my agency, Singular, I have been designing and building sets for shop windows, pop-ups and set-decor for different brands (mainly luxury brands) for more than fifteen years. I also carry out decoration and interior design projects for a variety of clients.
TSF
Explain to us what your job involves in your Singular agency.
Jean-Christophe
My agency is called Singular because I essentially work alone. I do so many different things, it seemed fair to me to summarise my work with this name.
TSF
Tell us about your education and your career path.
Jean-Christophe
I’ve always wanted to work in decoration. As a child, I repainted my room and, as a teenager, I got into bargain-hunting. Then I arrived in Paris to study applied arts at the Du__perré School. I started working on Christian Lacroix’s windows, then joined Louis Vuitton when Marc Jacobs arrived. I spent five years there in charge of visual identity and merchandising. I have travelled a lot and sharpened my appetite for furniture hunt during my stays, often bringing back objects, small pieces of furniture, and so on. Since then, I have treated my apartments like real laboratories, mixing styles, colours, materials… Nothing is ever really fixed. One object calls for another object or piece of furniture, then a colour and here I am repainting a wall, a room, an element.
TSF
Is there a project that has particularly challenged, stimulated or enriched you, personally or professionally?
Jean-Christophe
I am fortunate to have worked, and still work, with artistic directors with a strong identity. I have gained a wealth of experience and been involved in wonderful collaborations with people like Phoebe Philo during her time with Celine, John Galliano, Alber Elbaz and now Bruno Sialleli at Lanvin! All these powerful and impressive personalities have always really stimulated me.
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TSF
What is your favourite time between the brief and the delivery of a window display/scenography?
Jean-Christophe
There are several in the steps towards a window or decor design. First, there’s the phase of iconographic research and the search for materials for the design, then the dialogue with the designer on one of my selected proposals and then the setting up of the decor. And then exhilaration at the moment when the window moves from being a paper project to a concrete implementation, with the adjustment of details, such as the placement of products and the lighting to enhance the decor.
TSF
A garden, stained glass windows… This space is surprising. What is the story behind it?
Jean-Christophe
I was lucky enough to find this somewhat “singular” space, too, at the bottom of a building in Pigalle where a magician lived at the beginning of the 19th century. This apartment immediately seduced me with its little hidden house with this patio that gives me the essential garden touch for my well-being and all these period stained glass windows that play with the sun’s rays like real prisms. I immediately fell in love with the place. I was, and still am, very inspired by its strong historical character.
TSF
How did you plan your interior?
Jean-Christophe
I have always thought of my interior as a laboratory. A continuous work in progress. The day when I no longer have any inspiration, when I feel stuck, I will find a new place… For the moment I live with it, like living in a real theatre setting.
TSF
Colour runs through it like a common thread. Why is this so important to you?
Jean-Christophe
In my opinion, colour is life! I treated my old apartment with powerful blocks of colour. This time, given the prevalence of stained glass, I wanted to play with the more subtle colours, on a white background, to bring back just a small element to each room. Whether it is the lower part of a wall, a door frame or a skirting board.
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I have travelled a lot and sharpened my appetite for furniture hunt during my stays (...) Since then, I have treated my apartments like real laboratories
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TSF
Where do you find your furniture, your objects?
Jean-Christophe
I hunt around extensively in Paris for my work, combining my work with my personal pleasure. But I also bring back a lot of things from my travels, I often go to Belgium where I find furniture or decorative items, and also to Copenhagen and London.
TSF
Is there a trend, a period in the history of art or design that fascinates you in particular?
Jean-Christophe
I love brutalism! I went to Le Havre this summer, and I was overwhelmed by emotion, the same emotion I feel when I go to the Barbican Centre in London. It’s a movement that is both intelligent and functional with a rather radical aestheticism that moves me. I’m pretty much addicted to concrete!
TSF
For your work, for you: what inspires you?
Jean-Christophe
Everything! Music, cinema, the exhibitions I often see abroad and then, of course, fashion, designers…
TSF
Can you share any lessons learned from your experience in art direction that we can use, in our own decor?
Jean-Christophe
For me, it is not enough to pay dearly for a decorative element to find it beautiful or interesting. My approach is rather to have an affection for anything that can move us. I love to mix valuable items with small pieces that seem to be of little value. Found objects or bargains picked up and used to enhance a space outside the context of wherever I discovered them.
TSF
The 9th arrondissement is a district where good addresses flourish… Which ones are your favourites for shopping, coffee or having dinner with friends?
Jean-Christophe
The 9th arrondissement is very lively, sometimes a little too much for my taste because places are continually opening to the detriment of true neighbourhood life with its small shops. But I really like some restaurants such as Peco Peco, Yto and Pizzou, where you can eat good pizzas and get a great welcome!
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