From September 1 to October 31, 2023, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen will set up shop at La Samaritaine. An arty and fashionable event in a historic place in Paris, with an iconic godmother. Carine Roitfeld joins Galerie Pradier-Jeauneau and Jean-Marc Hervier Decoration to offer the public a cutting-edge selection of unique decorative pieces. The queen of style unveils her home fragrance line on this occasion. Encounter.
When fashion, art and decoration become one
Aurélien and Jérémy Pradier-Jeauneau, Carine Roitfeld and Jean-Marc Hervier, This is the unexpected quartet for this 2023 school year. Unexpected, but yet so obvious. If Carine is an undisputed figure in fashion, she is also the daughter of an antique dealer, and a long-time customer of the Puces de Saint-Ouen. These lovers of beautiful things, unique things, filled with stories, and antiques came together around a single project. That of Saint-Ouen fleas à la Samaritaine. An ode to heritage, timelessness and unique pieces.
The Select Interview
What is the origin of the collaboration between La Samaritaine and Puces de Saint-Ouen?
Jérémy Pradier: The project is called “Les Puces à la Samaritaine”. Jean-Marc Hervier and the Galerie Pradier-Jeauneau are all antique dealers, in Paul Bert, north of Paris, which is not always easy to access. So we all came up with the idea of proposing the project to La Samaritaine. We were very lucky that Carine agreed to be our godmother straight away. The Samaritan loved the project. This is how this mix of our Italian and French influences was born, with Carine's glamor and style. And in particular its home fragrance which connects all the pieces together, which are sometimes a little heterogeneous.
What does your role as godmother involve?
Carine Roitfeld : Since I met Jean-Marc Hervier and I wanted to make my new apartment, I had to part with some furniture. And what could be easier than having a friend who works at Puces, who takes all your things and from whom you can buy new ones? I know fashion better than decoration, I don't know the names. But everything looks the same, everything goes well together and it's the same way of working. You make an apartment like you make a wardrobe, it's exactly the same thing.
How were the pieces featured in La Samaritaine chosen?
Aurélien Jeauneau : The most important project for us was to present to the public of La Samaritaine and to our clients an overview of almost a century of production of furniture and objects. We therefore tried with Jean-Marc Hervier to present something very coherent. But we realize one thing: you have almost a century of design here, and as long as all the pieces are well designed, objectively, everything goes together. And that was our whole challenge: for people to first fall in love with a piece, and then to tell them its story. It's a double surprise. And if people leave happy, our job is done.
Jean-Marc Hervier : We make different styles, French and Italian, coexist in periods that are approximately the same. But also vintage which mirrors contemporary pieces because we defend French and foreign art. Les Puces is not just about vintage and flea markets. It’s also a universe, and we defend a world.
Carine Roitfeld, tell us about your home fragrance…
Carine Roitfled : As I have a line of perfumes, for me the smell is very important. When you arrive at someone's house, immediately there is the furniture, the decoration and there is also the smell. So I wanted a home fragrance that resembled my perfumes. We managed to make a candle and a diffuser that are very close: a black design, with wax and candle which are also black. And I am very lucky as a godmother to be able to show my home fragrances here at La Samaritaine.
Carine Roitfeld x La Samaritaine, it was written
As if it was written: Carine Roitfeld, daughter of an antique dealer, with a pronounced taste for perfume, finds herself representing the exclusive collaboration between Puces de Saint-Ouen, the largest antiques market in the world, and La Samaritaine, stronghold of fashion lovers. An interior fragrance unveiled exclusively in this department store which historically housed a large department dedicated to the home. You have to experience this emotion to understand it, and see it to be surprised.
See you at 9, rue de la currency, in Paris, until October 31, 2023.
by Julie Yapo
