For this new episode of Designers in Dialogue, we had the good fortune and privilege of interviewing Vladimir Markovic, the grandnephew of Jean Royère’s longtime collaborator, who passed away in 1981.

Hello Vladimir, and thank you for agreeing to this interview. To start, could you share a bit about your background and the personal connection you have with Jean Royère?

“I grew up in my great-uncle’s house, conceived as an homage to one of Jean’s favourite homes, and I think that atmosphere shaped me long before I realised it. My great-uncle Micha, Jean’s lifelong partner, naturally passed on the essence of Jean’s spirit to me. I remember Jean vividly during his frequent visits to my family in Santa Santa Barbara. One encounter at a family dinner in particular stayed with me: I caught his eye and sensed a quiet concern. He was at the twilight of his life, and from today’s perspective I believe he was deeply reflecting on how his heritage would continue to live on and be enjoyed by future generations in an ever-changing world.

Because Jean trusted my family deeply, I believe he felt that the continuity of his work could somehow find a way to pass on through us. That feeling has become the driving force behind what we do today. For my part, I simply try to continue what began between Jean, Micha, and my family — with honesty and respect for his DNA.”

How do you reconcile Jean Royère’s spirit and legacy with the demands of today’s market when recreating iconic designs?

“Many of Jean Royère’s pieces resonate strongly today, and you can see contemporary designers — whether consciously or not — drawing inspiration from his work. His career spanned over forty years, and many of his early ideas reappeared throughout his life, evolving as he explored new motifs, proportions, and constructions.

Recreating his iconic designs today is about transmitting a spirit. The challenge is to remain faithful to Jean’s sensibility while placing the pieces in a contemporary context that allows them to live again. We do not believe in nostalgia. Our goal is continuity — respecting the DNA of the original while understanding how people live today.

It all begins with the archives: drawings, photographs, proportions, materials, and intentions, understanding what Jean was trying to communicate with the piece, his intention. From that we have to figure out how to produce the piece, focused on that intention, which will inform all of our choices. We question comfort, durability, and the needs of modern interiors. Jean himself was an innovator who collaborated with exceptional artisans, which gives us the legitimacy — and the responsibility — to innovate as well, working with the form that Jean created, using our experience to improve the comfort, construction and durability.

To honour his pioneering work, we recreate these pieces with the highest level of craftsmanship, following the example he set. This means working with remarkable artisans, maintaining exacting standards, and producing everything in France, where this savoir-faire still thrives.

Our pieces retain the generosity, softness, and joyful spirit that define Royère — a natural evolution of the historic production. Ultimately, the challenge is not the market; it is integrity. When we stay true to Jean’s intention and collaborate with artisans and designers who understand this sensibility, the pieces naturally find their place today. Good design, when approached with honesty, does not age. It evolves.”

What makes Jean Royère timeless?

“Jean Royère’s aesthetic transcends time because it was never guided by fashion. He didn’t subscribe to any school or trend — he followed his own intuition, creating for himself and directly for his clients. His pieces stand beautifully on their own yet also speak to one another when placed together, reflecting his role as a décorateur ensemblier.

His sense of proportion — playful, slightly oversized, or unexpectedly petite — keeps you engaged. His pieces make adults feel like children again, inviting curiosity and a sense of being alive. Their lasting appeal comes not only from their forms but from the emotions and qualities they elicit through their use.

He created pieces that feel full of presence, carrying warmth and emotion without ever imposing. They welcome you in, opening the door to a world where everything seems quietly, beautifully possible. Natural materials and artisanal techniques age gracefully when made with sincerity, and Royère’s language adapts naturally to different eras without losing any of its essence.”

What kind of daily relationship do you maintain with craft artisans?

“We engage with craft artisans every single day. Each piece we create is realised by a different artisan or atelier: the upholstery in Lyon, the large-scale pieces with Jouffre, and the prototypes and chairs in our own atelier. We also work with straw marquetry, woodwork, metal, and we make our own lampshades from Japanese paper. We produce our own fabrics in France, with alpaca fibres make deep pile, luscious velvets, and dye them in a wealth of incredible, historic colours with the help of master dyers.

We also incorporate traditional crafts in our communication — from letterpress printing to risograph and analogue photography — creating a complete world of craft around ourselves and supporting as many artisans as possible.

One of the most important aspects of our work is preserving, maintaining, and promoting French savoir-faire. Exceptional craftspeople still work in France, but their knowledge survives only if it is valued and supported. Using these skills solely for historic pieces is too limited. For us, it is essential to apply traditional techniques to contemporary production, ensuring this knowledge remains relevant, alive, and capable of setting a new standard of excellence through natural materials and the hand-made.”

What led you to choose our ateliers and place your trust in our upholsterers?

“We decided to recreate all the pieces in France, as the tradition of savoir-faire is deeply and naturally embedded in its culture. But even here, there are now few ateliers capable of producing upholstery pieces using traditional techniques while also being ready to innovate and deliver work at a consistently high level. The pieces must remain handmade and unique, yet meet the standards of quality and consistency required today. Finding partners who could achieve this balance was essential — and Jouffre was one of the few ateliers able to do exactly that.

Their openness, precision, and dedication were crucial as we slowly rediscovered how these pieces are built from the inside out. Royère created a language that cannot be replicated mechanically; it must be understood. When we began, none of us had the complete “recipe.” It took patience, dialogue, and shared curiosity to rebuild this knowledge. Jouffre approached the process with sincerity and a true desire to learn, observe, and rediscover how these pieces should be constructed. It is this combination of mastery and humility that has built a mutual trust over the years, allowing our collaboration to feel both natural and effortless.”

Could you tell us about the “Ateliers Éphémères” event, organized in collaboration with our ateliers at your New York gallery? What are the goals and intentions behind this immersive experience?

“Because it is difficult to explain in words how our pieces are made, we felt that the most direct way was to show the process itself. We also wanted to plant another seed in our New York gallery by not only presenting finished pieces but building them from scratch in the space. With Atelier Jouffre, we brought artisans from Lyon to demonstrate their techniques live, revealing the construction, rhythm, and precision behind each piece.

The goal was to show the invisible, honour the artisans, and reconnect the public with the idea that excellence is a living process, not just a final object.”