The Select interview with Sarah Poniatowski. Meet her in her Parisian setting, Maison Sarah Lavoine, place des Victoires.

In her Maison Sarah Lavoine boutique on Place des Victoires, Sarah Poniatowski welcomes us with the sunny, determined energy that characterizes her career. Interior designer, accomplished entrepreneur, author and soon-to-be podcaster, she embodies a vision of design that is instinctive, demanding and profoundly human.

For Paris Select, she talks unfiltered about her love of Paris, her favorite addresses, her inspirations, but also about the realities of entrepreneurship: doubts, imposter syndrome, the importance of teams, and the inner discipline of cultivating the positive in a sometimes anxiety-provoking world.

From her future hotel projects to her admiration for Philippe Starck, and her desire to pass on her knowledge to young designers, Sarah Poniatowski paints the portrait of a woman on the move, guided by curiosity, audacity and the quest for balance. An inspiring encounter with a designer who has never stopped dreaming and, above all, daring. !

Paris Select: Did you always know that design would be part of your life?

Sarah Poniatowski: No, not at first. I grew up in this world because my mother was a decorator, and subconsciously she passed this taste on to me. But I wanted to be an actress, so I studied psychology, philosophy and theater. And one morning, I said to myself that I was going to call my mother to work with her! That’s how I learned.

PS: Is there a project that has particularly marked your identity as a designer?

SP: Yes, several. My first restaurant, Victoria with Benjamin Patou, on Place de l’Étoile. Then the competition I won for L’Oréal Luxe, a huge 40,000 m² office building. Before that, I was mainly involved in residential projects. This project opened me up to other sectors and a new dimension.

PS: Do you prefer to design apartments, hotels or restaurants?

SP:I don’t like to choose. I’m lucky enough to work on apartments, hotels, restaurants, offices, common areas… And I’d like to keep it that way.

PS: What fuels your creativity outside of decorating?

SP:I’m extremely curious. I look at how people dress, facades, nature, exhibitions… Everything feeds my creativity all the time. It’s an ongoing process.

PS: If you could imagine a project anywhere in the world?

SP:I’ve never done a resort. It would be great. A big house on an island, on a grand scale.

PS: Is there an encounter or collaboration that has profoundly influenced your career?

SP :There are people I’ve met in my life whom I admire enormously and who influence my career no matter what. Philippe Starck, for example. He’s someone who fascinates me, who I find absolutely brilliant. I’d love to have his career, his life. I often say that I’d like to be in his brain because it’s so fast, he’s got an idea a minute. So yes, Starck.

PS: Do you have any rituals or methods for staying creative and productive?

SP:I always try to think positively. I talk about it in my book. It’s very important to reprogram your brain to maintain good energy levels, which isn’t always easy in an anxiety-inducing environment. Information is often dark. To stay creative, you have to keep things positive. At least for me. I think all entrepreneurs need that.

PS: If you had to pass on one piece of advice to a young creative person, what would it be?

SP :I’d tell him to believe in his dreams, to be daring, to try to do as many things as possible. But also to take your time. And… to buy my book (laughs). On a more serious note, I think this is an important subject: you have to believe in yourself and be patient at the same time.

PS: What did writing your book “Rêver, oser, créer et recommencer” bring you?

SP :I’m often asked to speak at forums or conferences, often to women, to tell them about my career. Many of them don’t dare, don’t know where to start. I told myself that I was old enough and had the experience to pass it on. It was important for me to share this.

PS: What does a perfect future look like to you?

SP :A perfect future means striking the right balance between my work, my family, my travels, my lover… all that. With a little more sun, maybe somewhere else. And the sea.

PS: Have you ever experienced impostor syndrome?

SP:Yes, I did and I still do. Because I’m learning every day. I don’t have a huge ego, so I continue to feed off everything that’s going on. I didn’t go to school, so I’m bound to have gaps. But I’m lucky enough to be well surrounded, which enables me to make constant progress.

PS: Is having a good entourage essential for an entrepreneur?

SP :For me, it would have been impossible to do everything I’ve done on my own. I have great teams. We help each other, we feed off each other. They’re like communicating vessels. It’s fundamental.

PS: What is the most important quality you expect from your employees?

SP:The same drive to desire, to discover, to understand what surrounds us. We work in the world of beauty and aesthetics. You have to be extremely curious. In Paris, we’re lucky to have exhibitions and a permanent cultural energy. You have to feed off them to enrich your work.

PS: You’re launching a podcast. Can you tell us about it?

SP :Yes, I’m working on a podcast that should be out in early March, normally on my birthday. It’s going to be a chronicle, a bit like a diary in my own voice. I’ll be talking about subjects that interest me, that are found in my books: entrepreneurship, personal elevation, decoration, life… It’ll be called Ainsi soit-il.

PS: Do you have any respect for entrepreneurs?

SP:A lot. It’s a big ordeal. People often think that it’s easy, that everything seems to run smoothly or that fame simplifies everything. In reality, there’s a real gap between image and reality. It’s not easy at all!

PS: What are your current major projects?

SP:We have some very fine architectural projects: hotels in Paris, notably a major project on the Île Seguin. And the idea is also to take Maison Sarah Lavoine even further internationally.

PS: Where are you present today?

SP:We have a presence in wholesale throughout the world, but not yet in our own company. And not yet in Asia. The aim is to go further…

PS: Are your children proud of your career?

SP:I think they are. We’re very close. I always try to put them first, despite the pace. Of course, there are regrets, time goes by too quickly, they’ve grown up so fast. But we create beautiful moments together.

PS: Do they have an opinion on your work?

SP:My daughter is a photographer, actress and young director, so she’s very artistic. My son Roman has been advising me since he was a child, giving his opinion on products and what we should and shouldn’t do. He’s very creative and at the same time very business-minded. The third, we don’t know yet.

PS: Is there a personal project you’re still dreaming of developing?

SP :Yes, I’d like to create my own hotels. Boutique hotels. A small chain of hotels “just like home”. A hotel version of La Maison Sarah Lavoine.

Where to find Maison Sarah Lavoine boutiques in Paris?

Paris – 16 Passy 25 Rue de l’Annonciation 75016 Paris

Paris – 07 Bac 28 Rue du Bac 75007 Paris

Paris – 02 Victoires 6 place des Victoires 75002 Paris