GIGI ETTEDGUI

 

GIGI ETTEDGUI wearing the Romy cardigan no.002. She is a Creative Assistant at Hermès, living in Paris, France.

What do you treasure most in your neighborhood?
Café de Flore

Can you share some daily habits or rituals?
My morning breakfast at Café de Flore - noisette, tartine, cigarette and a couple of pages of whatever I am reading before walking across the Tuileries gardens in Paris to work

Who is an inspirational figure?
Lorenzo de’ Medici.

What should we be reading?
The Return of Martin Guerre by Natalie Zemon Davis. A fascinating and magical jump through time and across humanity into the early modern mind. Over four centuries old, a thrilling account of how and why someone could step into another man’s shoes...there is also a pretty wonderful film with Gerard Depardieu...

Do you have a soundtrack to your life?
Sarà perché ti amo.

What is good design?
Yakumo Saryō In Tokyo might be the most magically designed place I have been lucky enough to visit.

Where do you find good design?
At your fingertips.

What does your house smell like?
On Sunday nights it smells of incense, cigarettes, and roast chicken...

What does your house sound like?
And it rings with laughter.

What is a rule that should never be broken?
Be Kind.

What is a rule that should always be broken?
Please do not take photos of the paintings.

What is your perfect meal?
Freshly shaved fennel carpaccio with lots of lemon and Parmesan. Bistecca Fiorentina with gratin dauphinois. Fondant au Chocolat. Washed down with a Montalcino wine.

What is your favorite word in any language?
Buonasera.

What is most difficult to find in contemporary culture?
Holding onto the present.

What do you find most exciting in contemporary culture?
Its energy.

What do you collect?
Friends.

The best arthouse film?
The Wedding Banquet directed by Ang Lee.

What thoughts occupy you currently?
Dreams of Greek islands and Italian cities.

What was the first piece of cultural work that really mattered to you?
The idea of Lord Byron rowing into the Pantheon when the Tiber flooded and composing part of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage under the moonlit oculus.

What is a representation of simplicity?
A smile. A man’s shirt. A beautiful cardigan...

What is a representation of complexity?
Shyness.

What do you see outside your window?
A tree.

What is still a mystery?
Almost everything...

What makes you feel nostalgic?
Holiday photos of my heroes.

What stands the test of time?
Love.

What are you working on at the moment?
It’s a surprise!

Any last words?
Thank you!