POLCHA Studio, founded by Pauline Leyravaud and Charlotte Tarbouriech, emerged from their shared passion for drawing and design. They established their practice in the inspiring city of Paris, drawn to its diverse offerings and artistic heritage. As a creative duo, they cherish the collaborative process, combining their unique perspectives and finding innovative solutions. As they continue to evolve, their commitment to design excellence and a sustainable ethos remains at the heart of their endeavors.
SHOP IN PRINT and DIGITAL
Charlotte Tarbouriech, the founder of Paris-based design studio POLCHA, sits down with Editor Katarina Doric to talk about their design process, environmental consciousness and future projects.
Tell us about your beginnings. Were you always interested in design? – Pauline and I met at Penninghen, an art school in Paris. From the very beginning of our careers, drawing and design have been our passions. However, we pursued different paths. I went into shoe design for major couture houses, while Pauline specialized in decorative painting, including trompe l’oeil, sign painting, eglomise glass, and fresco realizations for the hospitality industry.
Starting a label as a young designer requires a combination of passion, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks, but the rewards can be immense if you stay true to your vision.
You’ve established your practice in Paris. Is Paris the place to be for young creatives? – Paris is our home city, and while we travel frequently and have a deep love for Italy, we believe that the French capital offers a diverse range of multicultural events in art, design, and fashion that make it an incredibly interesting place for young creatives. From art exhibitions to fashion shows to design fairs, there’s always something exciting happening in Paris. We also appreciate the city’s rich history and artistic heritage, which continues to inspire and influence us in our work. Overall, we think Paris is a fantastic place for young creatives to be, and we feel fortunate to call it our home.
Being young designers, what’s the biggest challenge you faced when starting your label and making a name for yourselves in the industry? – The biggest challenge for us was believing in our vision and staying committed to it, despite the ups and downs that come with starting a new venture. It can be difficult to stay focused and confident in your work when you’re faced with constant reassessment and criticism, but we’ve learned that it’s essential to play with the waves and not let them overwhelm you. We’ve also found that building a strong network of supporters and collaborators is crucial to succeeding in this industry, and we’re grateful for the mentors and colleagues who have helped us along the way. Overall, starting a label as a young designer requires a combination of passion, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks, but the rewards can be immense if you stay true to your vision.
What is it like working as a creative duo? Can you please tell us a bit about the process? – Working as a duo is a wonderful experience. It’s the first time for both of us to truly share a project with someone else. While we may have disagreements at times, we always find a way to compromise and arrive at a great solution. Our process is very organic and collaborative—I like to do a lot of design work on my iPad, while Pauline enjoys experimenting with different techniques and needs to see an idea in action. We talk extensively, share images and inspirations, and somehow, something new is born from these discussions. This initial idea is always evolving and developing right up until the moment we present the final product. The creative process is a constantly evolving dialogue between us, and we cherish the opportunity to work together to bring our ideas to life.
You’re trying to incorporate an environmental ethic into your brand. Has that always been a part of your world? – We are both deeply concerned about the planet and its future. In fact, my personal journey led me to leave the fashion industry due to my frustration with overproduction and excessive development. Pauline has always been environmentally conscious and anxious about the impact of our actions on the planet. From the outset, we wanted our label to reflect our values and place upcycling and limited production at the forefront of our work. We believe that art can play a role in creating a circular economy and help us all engage with one another to build a more sustainable future. It has been an integral part of our worldview from the beginning, and we are excited to see more and more designers and brands embracing this approach.
We believe that art can play a role in creating a circular economy and help us all engage with one another to build a more sustainable future. It has been an integral part of our worldview from the beginning, and we are excited to see more and more designers and brands embracing this approach.
With more and more brands on the market, you need real creativity to stay relevant. Do you find it hard to reach your audience? – We don’t really focus on the competition around us. We believe that if you spend too much time worrying about what others are doing, you won’t be able to move forward in your own work. Instead, we focus on our own creativity and the unique vision we have for our brand. While it can be challenging to find our audience, we believe that the best way to do so is by putting our work out there and letting it speak for itself. By staying true to our values and creating something that is both beautiful and sustainable, we hope to attract a like-minded audience that shares our vision for a more responsible and conscious approach to design.
Tell us about your exhibition at Alcova. What was the inspiration? – Water is a constant source of inspiration for us. We are passionate about bringing nature back into our living spaces, and our first collection of terracotta tiles is an ode to water. The collection features different layers of the water surface, creating an aquatic decor that distorts and plays with space through optical illusions inspired by the ripples of water. We worked in collaboration with a family-owned tile workshop in the south of France that specializes in the artisanal production of terracotta and lava stone. The clay used for the tiles is sourced from a nearby quarry, and the workshop has an efficient waste recovery system, resulting in minimal waste production. Our exhibition at Alcova showcases this collection and highlights our commitment to sustainable production methods and environmentally-conscious design.
By staying true to our values and creating something that is both beautiful and sustainable, we hope to attract a like-minded audience that shares our vision for a more responsible and conscious approach to design.
Your approach to design is unique. Do you find your inspiration in art? – We find inspiration from a variety of sources, not just limited to art. Nature is a major source of inspiration for us, but we also draw inspiration from various other places as well.
How have you grown as designers since you started out? – As with any profession, experience and time lead to growth and development. We have learned to trust our instincts more and to take more risks with our designs. We have also become more comfortable with our creative process and more confident in our abilities to bring our ideas to life. Overall, we are constantly evolving and growing as designers.
What’s next for Polcha? – We are working on developing a spa for a hotel, and we have a big experimental project in the works…hopefully, we can share it soon.
Originally published in DSCENE Magazine’s “The World We Live In” Issue.
Keep up with Polcha Design on Instagram – @polcha_paris
these are gorgeous! would love their tiles!