Jean-Philippe Bonnefoi had a line of Gustave Flaubert’s in mind when he was searching for his home in Paris: ‘Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.’
It summarises, he explains, ‘how one’s space is critical to create some sort of enveloping structure for the senses to be at ease’. Following a thoughtful restoration, the apartment that Aesop’s global head of retail design innovation calls ‘a second skin’ certainly fulfils that brief.
The home sits in a late-1930s building between Parc de Belleville and La Petite Ceinture – a neighbourhood once home to a railway that has since been overtaken by nature. The area is popular with architects, photographers and creatives, and he describes how on late-summer afternoons, locals gather in the Parc de Belleville to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the city.
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‘There were some non-negotiable criteria that now feel essential for a life well lived,’ he says of his two-year house hunt, listing ‘a view, natural light and direct sun in abundance’. On his first visit in late-November 2017, he was struck by the way the sunset’s fiery tones flooded the rooms. Granted, there were six floors to climb and no lift, but the view of the Parc de Belleville and the Eiffel Tower won the day.
Although the building’s bones were sound, the apartment’s layout was fragmented. Jean-Philippe knew he would have to reconfigure the space to make it work. ‘It was the first project I did for myself,’ he recalls. ‘It was quite an exciting process.’ Before moving in, he visited at different times of the day to understand how the property engaged with its surroundings, even imagining himself sitting on the sofa to establish the best view out of the windows.
He also turned inwards, studying ‘how I live, what my habits are and how this would translate into the spatial planning’. This was intended to help him create a space that would be clean and calm, emphasising light, fresh air and birdsong.
The apartment’s post-and-beam concrete structure allowed it to be easily transformed into an open-plan space, with the living room and dining area connected to the kitchen, which Jean-Philippe calls ‘the spine of every interaction’. He was determined to ensure the bathroom had the best west-facing view of the Eiffel Tower. ‘Simple pleasures created by the architecture – that’s what good design is about,’ he declares.
That philosophy could just as easily apply to the Aesop stores Jean-Philippe is responsible for shaping, with their emphasis on nature, ritual and considered restraint. But the creator of the physical experience of every customer maintains a scrupulous separation between work and leisure, in order to better serve his inventive process and sense of balance. ‘Paris is a big city, with noise and agitation, and it is important for me to have a refuge where I can relax and disconnect,’ he explains.
Iconic design pieces are displayed throughout, alongside examples of his own work, such as two lights that he designed with Fabio Vogel. His longtime fascination with Gae Aulenti is represented by the presence of her timeless ‘Mezzo Oracolo’ lamp. ‘The shape, functionality and proportions are always straightforward – radical with a touch of elegance and sensuality that make her designs desirable,’ he says.
Jean-Philippe first came to Paris aged 18 to study at L’École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Paris-Malaquais. He took a part-time job at Aesop to fund his student lifestyle, but the role proved life-changing. At that time, the company was small, and he was helping out wherever needed. ‘The areas I liked the most were visual merchandising, buying the right flowers, ensuring the store was looking fresh and interesting,’ he says. He celebrated his 15th anniversary with Aesop last year.
Never complacent, though, Jean-Philippe is also developing his practice as a designer. In 2021, he delivered two projects: a private apartment in the Marais for Thomas Buisson and Stéphanie Roger (founder of jewellery brand Whitebird), and an office/laboratory for perfumer Barnabé Fillion that he describes as ‘an enclave dedicated to creation’. He regards these as his proudest achievements, because they captured the essence of his clients’ aspirations, while an almost obsessive attention to detail ensures they are beautifully functional spaces.
He spends his free time by the sea, collecting shells and flotsam. ‘I’m exploring various possibilities of how I could create materials out of these forgotten objects, to give them a new life and probably design furniture,’ he explains. ‘It’s a process that’s taking time and requires testing. I’ll see where it goes.’ From the metropolis to the shoreline, this deep thinker is always observing, always inspired.
