From a toy to an object

How does the Swiss-French designer Julie Richoz work? How does she define a good object and where does she get her inspiration for her designs? We visited her in her studio in Paris and spoke to her about the development of the new Colour Frame Mirrors.

Since the first mirrors appeared around 5000 years ago, they have been created in infinite shapes, styles and sizes. Now the Colour Frame Mirrors by Julie Richoz are enriching this category: the designer found inspiration for the frames in building blocks and their possible combinations.

Julie Richoz, born in 1990, graduated in industrial design from Lausanne University of Art And Design (ECAL) in 2012. She founded her own design studio in Paris that same year, and also worked for Pierre Charpin. She was "Designer in Residence" at the Cité de la Céramique in Sèvres and at CIRVA, the International Research Centre for Art and Glass in Marseille, where she acquired an invaluable knowledge of these materials.

Her work shows her curiosity and fascination for craftsmanship as well as her sensitivity and precision in dealing with materials. When it comes to fabrication, she sees little difference between handcrafted individual pieces and products manufactured on an industrial scale, considering it more a form of continuity. Julie Richoz lives and works in Paris, she has been collaborating with Vitra since 2023.