Clémentine Larroumet
Co-founder of Saint-LazareClémentine Larroumet is the co-founder of Saint-Lazare, a Parisian reference in design and branding. For over twenty years, she has been creating with her team visual identities, objects, and books where careful attention to materials, images, and narratives takes center stage. At the intersection of graphic design, publishing, and architecture, her work cultivates a sensitive and enduring aesthetic, where every detail tells a story.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, she joined us to share her perspective on creation, the objects that surround her, and the jewelry that accompanies the important moments of her life.
Could you briefly tell us what led you to create your studio?
I co-founded Saint-Lazare in 2000 with a close friend, he an architect and I coming from publishing and graphic design. I wanted to embark on an entrepreneurial adventure in the creative world. We decided to create a branding studio with a strongly narrative approach, keeping publishing at the heart of our projects.
Very quickly, we were fortunate to work for Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent. The first time I stepped through the doors of 5 Avenue Marceau remains an unforgettable moment.
In a few words, how would you describe your universe?
My world is eclectic, with touches of color and warm light. I need to be surrounded by books and objects, whether it is literature, art books, artworks, paintings, or photographs.
Each object has a story and reminds me of important connections: my family, my children, friendships, projects, special moments. I love being surrounded by these objects.
What reflects you most in the work you create?
What I enjoy most in my work is bringing a project to life, seeing a brand become an object, and watching that object take shape, conveying its soul or telling the story of the brand. Working with materials, selecting papers and colors, getting it right, elevating a humble material and making an object desirable has driven me for the past 25 years.
Creating books, as we did with the Portraits de Villes collection, is another passion. In short, it is about creating objects that endure, witnesses of their time.
What advice would you give to someone who is hesitant to take the leap?
I advise trusting yourself and listening to your instincts. With determination, hard work, and passion, you can achieve a great deal. Do not be afraid of failure, as mistakes also help you grow. Dare to take risks and be bold.
If possible, find a good "partner", as it is often easier to carry a project together, to support each other, combine your strengths, face setbacks, and celebrate successes together.
Which of the pieces you selected reflects you the most, and why?
Today, I wear jewelry that holds deep sentimental value, gifted by my husband for important moments: our wedding, the birth of our children, a trip to Peru, and a beautiful Castafiore piece for a birthday. I also love the idea that each piece can be passed down and reminds us of a loved one who wore it before.
Among my selection on the Castafiore site, I find the Boucheron belt bracelet to be a must. It is incredibly elegant. I love the way it drapes and the “second skin” effect of the gold scales, with the blue sapphires enhancing the piece. I have a particular fondness for jewelry from the 1960s and 1970s.
