Because we like to share our favorites with you, this is one of them.
Here's the story: Summer 2023, we're on the shores of Lac de Chaumeçon in the Morvan region of France (this lake deserves an article of its own), and just as we thought we were alone in the world, we come across a familiar face. Before parking, we had to get to the bottom of it. And yes, it's Merci Paris, the well-known figure we've just spotted in this pretty, remote spot.
What followed was a sincere friendship, and the desire to talk about her new business over a morning coffee in our beloved Rue du Château d'Eau.
In a world where industry tends to standardize creation, it's refreshing to meet souls like Helen, who transform simplicity into art and ordinary objects into extraordinary pieces.
Helen is not one of those designers who follows a set path. Her path is a mosaic of passions and experiences. "I was initially trained in the fashion world at Benetton and then Esprit, I've been successively boutique manager, manager of a Scandinavian design gallery, and today the image of Merci Paris on insta."
The story of Atelier Bouillant, the brand launched by Helen? It resembles a modern tale. "In a decoration store in Arles, I discovered an object made from an old olive oil filter. And then I said to myself, this object is really not ordinary, and immediately I saw what would be a luminous suspension."
And this anecdote is not insignificant. It symbolizes Atelier Bouillant's philosophy: to give a second life to objects and divert them from their original function, breathing new life into them, reinventing them with poetry and respect.
"I've always lived in Paris, but I have memories of going to see my grandmother who was in the countryside near Poitiers, and I have memories of being a little girl at her house. And instead of playing with dolls, I'd go and rummage in the attic. I loved objects, and I spent my afternoons either outside making huts, or dressing up!"
Les Luminaires Bouillant: Stories to hang
Each Bouillant luminaire is a work of art telling a story:
N°1. Industrial model
- Inspired by the small workshop lamps of the 50s
- A tribute to the industrial era and its workers
- Modular, it adapts to all interiors
N°2. Kapline model
- Inspired by farmers' straw hats
- A nod to the elegance of the demoiselles de Rochefort
- Evoking femininity and agricultural work
N°3. Corbeille model
- Reinterpretation of a traditional bread basket
- Celebration of everyday objects
- Testimony to the importance of small details
Living, sustainable materials
Like Poudre Organic, Helen places sustainability at the heart of her approach. Her lighting fixtures use:
- Natural coconut fibers
- Vintage lampholders
- Artisanal Italian wiring
Each piece is a dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity, memory and innovation.
Like Poudre Organic, Atelier Bouillant grows organically, step by step. Helen is building her brand with passion, without haste:
- Development of retailers
- Creation of an e-shop soon (stay tuned)
- Participation in trade shows perhaps?
- Development of limited collections
Networks and Inspirations
"I want to seek out new customers, new boutiques and then contact the architects who inspire me like Valérie Mazerat"
"Atelier Bouillant's creations are always linked to objects from my own history. No. 3 started with a bread basket, so it's completely different from No. 2, which is reminiscent of peasant hats and capelines".
At Poudre Organic, as at Atelier Bouillant, we believe that creation is an act of love. Love of materials, of stories, of people.
