Have you ever met Marianne Guély?
Marianne is a magician… with paper and scissors—she makes the world more beautiful.
My passion for materials and colors at Carré Royal quickly led me to connect with this exceptional creator.
Creative freedom…
Marianne has overflowing projects and imagination.
She talks about her creative freedom with paper—her poetry, and the joy of creating from delicate material. She truly needs to be with this material.
At the origin of this passion—maybe—a beautiful book featuring Matisse’s works, given to her during her first communion. She still thinks about his colors, his touch.
She also remembers how Bruno Legroux would let her rummage through the drawers and archives in his atelier (the studio where artificial flowers were made), founded in the 18th century and later purchased by Chanel.
She describes one of her first exhibitions in the Saint-Cloud park—and how, after studying at the École Nationale SupĂ©rieure des Arts AppliquĂ©s et des MĂ©tiers d’Art (Olivier Serres), and after an experience in a design agency, she decided to create the Studio Marianne GuĂ©ly in 2007.
A material, a workshop, age-old know-how…
The central material of Marianne’s creations is paper—lightweight, flexible, humble, and noble at the same time.
According to Marianne, the creative possibilities of this material are endless. It lets her move fast—bringing her ideas to life quickly, turning the fruits of her overflowing imagination into something real, and welcoming inspiration.
She draws on ancestral skills as well as innovative technologies, and she helps me discover traditional paper mills, as well as paper makers Favini (in Italy) and Gmund (in Germany). Traveling the world, she often finds new papers.
In her studio, which brings together between 10 and 30 people depending on the project, Marianne uses the skills of people who are comfortable with their hands: artists, sculptors, printers, embroiderers, screen printers…
We talk about the history of this material—coming from China—and its place in Japanese culture. It makes me think of papyrus, of parchment. For many centuries, knowledge, culture, and the expression of emotions have been able to spread and travel thanks to this medium.
Exceptional projects…
Marianne is also all about listening, shared imagination, and bringing to life polymorphic projects.
She puts her talent in the service of the biggest names in high fashion, luxury, architecture firms, Michelin-starred chefs, and wealthy private clients.
She especially collaborates with Chaumet, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Maison Pic in Valence, Shiseido, Symrise, Mikimoto, and many others.
Marianne creates monumental scenography—like decorations for the Paris Opera during private events or a wedding.
She designs window displays, and decorates boutiques. From her studio emerge flowers, animals, gardens, and new architectures… dreams next to reality. For the length of an event, she builds enclaves of an imaginary world.
During the Year of the Monkey, she created in Hong Kong at the Landmark: a jungle inhabited by 62 mischievous monkeys. One of them even moved into Rue de Provence in Paris.
She also explores the art of the table—with refinement and precision. For example, during the European Days of Crafts (Journées Européennes des Métiers d’Art), in the dining room of the Château de Malmaison.
One of the images from this letter shows a creation at the Château de Chantilly, in the Duc d’Aumale’s grand dining room.
Each project is an opportunity to go further—explore new forms, new techniques, and now new materials too, like wood or alabaster. Here’s a video presenting one of Marianne’s latest collaborations with Symrise.
I invite you to discover the world of Marianne Guély on the Studio Marianne Guély website, our Instagram pages (in the Stories), and our Facebook page, where you’ll find far more images of her creations.
To learn more about this letter and its author, I invite you to visit our Carré Royal Letters page.
If you liked this letter, please share it widely 🏄‍🙌.
A little music :
What — Jane Birkin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z61PndCnUIE
Arriba Quemando El Sol — Birds On a Wire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH5tNbiWUsA
Kyrie eleison — MARCO FRISINA, Album: SALVATORE DEL MONDO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqUPts8ApGU
Telling Stories — Tracy Chapman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wapCTd5fS2
My current read:
The Miracle Factory, by James Doty—remarkable.
Shops: Victoire
I invite you to discover our collections of wallets and card holders at the Victoire boutiques in Paris. Camille is also a virtuoso. She continues this family tradition that puts color front and center.
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