Prompted by the launch of the new fragrance from Issey Miyake, for which she created a universe of plants, we went to visit Alice Auboiron. This Parisian designer creates decors with plants in collaboration with and with reference to brands such as Chanel and Hermes or artists like Daft Punk. In her apartment in the French capital she explains to us where her love for greenery comes from and where she gets her inspiration. She also explains the artistic direction in which she wants to take it. An encounter with an artist who shows all the aspects of plants and flowers.
Nature and creation: an inheritance
As the daughter of an architect and an artist, Alice grew up in the midst of a swirl of creativity, which meant that her interest was stimulated by all sorts of things - particularly by ‘beauty’ in all its forms: in work of art as much as in the details of a bush on Corsica (where she has spent regular holidays since her childhood) or in the fold of a petal. With these impressions in her cultural baggage, Alice then studied at the Duperré School of Applied Arts in Paris, where she was introduced to various artistic professions (painting, sculpture, design, etc.).
“I love beauty in all its forms.“
Greenery in all its manifestations
After graduating Alice went to work on film sets, particularly models of landscapes for movies and commercials. She thereby had to find a way of miniaturising a realistic-looking piece of nature so that it was persuasive enough to suggest enormous landscapes in the studio. It was a real revelation for Alice. Moving from one project to another (in miniature and life-size) she developed a passion for the universe of plants and everything relating to it. But it was only when Chanel asked her to create spectacular glasses out of plants for a fashion show that Alice realised that green is more than just a nice colour for a set. She came to view nature as a universal incubator of emotions from which all stories emerge.
"There are an infinite number of stories to be told with plants".
Big and small
Focused on that world, Alice draws her inspiration from everything around her, whereby nothing escapes her attention. “You must be able to be surprised by anything, by the infinitely large as much as by the infinitely small.” For her that is undoubtedly the way to tackle the artistic challenges posed in her profession: “Translating a brand’s identity and spirit into greenery, and thereby constantly coming up with new discoveries.”
Styling with plants and flowers is becoming ever more diverse
In discussions with clients (mainly perfume houses) Alice is noticing that they are increasingly looking for a less traditional approach to flowers and plants. People want something other than just emphasising what the perfume is made of or simply referring to the feminine or romantic aspect of flowers. “Brands need to communicate in a more playful, more uninhibited, more fluent, more creative… and more original way!” This is a growing trend that delights her and one that she is also increasingly seeing amongst brands in other sectors.
"It’s not just the perfumers who communicate with flowers and plants. It’s a universe that appeals to everyone. Nowadays almost everyone has the need to communicate about or with nature.”
More about Alice
Alice loves surprising others and being surprised herself. Her wish for the future is simply that it should provide many surprises in the form of plants and flowers. In anticipation of the creations that she will produce in the future, take a look and discover the festive world that she has created in collaboration with Issey Miyake, or watch the video.
