You started your career by working in the fashion and art field. How did this affect your current design?
I consider myself a self-taught both in terms of fashion and design. I studied psychology at Toulouse University without graduating. Then I enrolled to English Literature and Commerce at the South London College. After my graduation, I went back to France where I developed with a few friends a fashion casual jeans brand, CHIPIE, which gained quite a reputation in France, Belgium and Spain from the end of the Seventies. In the early Eighties I left the southern part of the country to move to Paris, where I worked for many French and Italian brands such as Robe di Kappa, Uniform, Cerruti, Charles Chevignon, Et Vous , GStar. I think fashion made me more curious and also gave me sort of a more rigorous point of view in terms of production. I’ve always been into culture, architecture and interior decoration, yet fashion gave me a further sense of color as well as a better vision in terms of contemporary trends.

What’s the main feature of your style?
When it comes to furniture design I don’t think I have a specific trait yet, however I would define my style close to modernism, refined and made out of exceptional materials.

Which is the project you are prouder of?
I haven’t produced too many products but I think my MONDRIAN cupboard is the best as it is modern, minimalistic, refined and playful too. 

Which are your favorite materials and why?
Certainly wood, but I also like plexiglass, glass, aluminum and Corian.

What do you expect from the coming future? Which will be the major changes in the design field?
Today everything moves really quickly and you have design products from all over the world, which means that changes and trends are ever-growing also because of the many influences that such different cultures involve. New materials, techniques and machineries play a leading role too. On the one hand, I would say that we are moving towards sort of a “futuristic” future; on the other, due to the importance of ecology, I also presume that we will end up in a scenario that will be more “natural” and simple too. However, I believe that luxury, refined, handcrafted products will always be valued.

Which are your favorite contemporary designers and why?
There are many amazing designers, it’s impossible to mention all of them. I would say Philippe Stark, Zaha Hadid, Marc Newson, Ron Arad ,Patricia Urquiola,Piero Lissoni, Marcel Wanders . I love their modernism and creativity.

Which kind of clients commissions an interior design project to you?
I haven’t been working much as an interior designer so far, however I’ve designed several projects for private clients, especially offices or fashion boutiques.

What’s the main responsibility of you profession?
To bring beauty, taste and functionality in the world.

What would you suggest to emerging designers?
I actually consider myself an emerging talent too, as I’ve been working in this field for just three years!

Which are your next projects? And your dream-ones?
I’m working on a “modern art” chair; a table made out of wood, resin and steel; a cupboard with a refined wood-style look. I’d love to create some pieces in epoxy resin with petrified wood effects on, just like in the Seventies.

INFO: www.alainmarzat.com

PHOTO COURTESY: Alain Marzat