At Camille Fournet Paris, the “table of senses” is 9 m 20 long and fills a space of 93 m2, ©EricMartin

It is quite extraordinary to walk into a new boutique and find oneself immediately happy. This is what good architecture does to a space. And when I heard architect, Boris Cindric explain the mixture of materials he used for the Camille Fournet shop on rue Cambon, I started feeling even more interested. 

Wrapping boxes are exhibited like works of art

The very long table made of American walnut and grey birch is a treasure vault. Little cabinets open up and show belts, gloves, watch straps or wallets. It is conceived as a long bar where you can sit and events take place there at night. The room lined with glass with a green translucent effect, the white marble floors make a great contrast with the warm wood. Every inch of leather is used and ornate wrapping boxes which line the walls.

The table opens up to let us see its treasures

Next door, in a more intimate space, is the gloves salon and the watch straps bar. Camille Fournet was originally only making watch straps and catering to all the jewelers of Place Vendôme. Since Françoise and Jean Luc Déchery took over the house thirty years ago, they developed many products in leather and bought the Lavabre Cadet gloves factory in Millau. This room is dark with black marble and the oak walls are printed with crocodile effects, reminding us of leather. The wood work is astonishing.

Bicolor wallets are one of the trademarks

All materials have been selected to give softness and sensuality to the rooms and reflect the quality of the leather. The architect started out enlarging and building their manufacture in Tergnier, north east of Paris. This is where all products are made. They are designed by 29 year old Claire Aubadie-Ladrix who is a graduate from prestigious Ecole Boulle.

Boris Cindric is the Sarajevo born architect of this magical space, ©EricMartin

Every step of the conception of architecture is decided jointly and the wood carver Fabien Richard, who worked on the chantier, mentioned the complete harmony of execution during the four months of construction. The manufacture counts 200 artisans who produce the pieces for shops in France and in Japan where the brand is very successful. The bags are designed geometrically and inspired by architecture: they can be made to order in all exotic leathers and colors.

The watch straps bar where one sits to order specific colors and leathers

Camille Fournet, 5 rue Cambon, Paris 8