Léa received her diploma from Lisaa in 2004

- - What is your current profession ?

Right now, I’m an interior designer at Kristian Gavoille/Mobile. In my third year at Lisaa, I did a three-month internship during the summer in this agency. I continued working there the following year, during my final year at Lisaa. When I received my diploma, Kristian Gavoille hired me.

- Tell us a bit about Kristian Gavoille

Meeting him had a strong effect on me because Kristian Gavoille is an unusual personality in the design world : a former punk, a Clash fan, he worked for Starck and la Table Divine, he was designer of the year … Today, he is known for the Girbaud boutiques, though the agency does many other projects.

- What is your work like ? ?

There are three of us in the agency, besides him : Valérie Garcia (his partner), Sandrine Fulham and me. It is a small company where we all listen to each other. I learned to use a creative approach quickly without loosing a project’s connecting thread. We work a lot for the Girbauds for whom we conceive their stores worldwide. And we have many other clients like Renault for whom we do scenography. We do many project studies using drawings, mock-ups, prototypes, new materials …

- What are your plans ?

I would like to try and work abroad. I think it is important to travel in this business, when one has that possibility. It is important to be open to things and absorb what is happening from an urban, tribal, craftsmanship and technological point of view. This is what makes our creativity.

- Who are your main influences ?

In architecture : Kristian Gavoille, Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Nox. For interior design : Mickael Young, Patrick Jouin, Tom Dixon, Hella Jongerius, Droog Design, Konstantin Gkric … and many others.

- What advice would you give Lisaa students ?

Live your dreams, be curious. Don’t hesitate to ask questions because, in this business, nothing is a given : we need to follow style phenomenons. I also think it is important to stand up for yourself, without being arrogant, of course. Learn to speak English, do internships abroad. And don’t forget, in our industry, what’s important is the people you meet.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Kristian Gavoille, Valérie Garcia and Sandrine Fulham as well as Lisaa and the whole teaching staff …

To visit Kristian Gavoille’s site :www.kristiangavoille.com