LEMIEUX ET CIE
LEMIEUX ET CIE launched in London back in 2010, not with the goal of filling a whitespace, but as a thoughtful experiment. At a moment when fast furniture was getting faster—and more disposable—and the creative process no longer left room for creativity, founder and design historian Christiane Lemieux wanted to know what would happen if… she just slowed down. If she reveled in the joy of designing, partnered with master artisans, threw deadlines out the window, let the creative process happen. What if she made something beautiful that was meant to last?
Rooted in a studied appreciation of iconic European ateliers of the likes of Jean Arp, Constantin Brancusi and Alberto Giacometti, LEMIEUX ET CIE is a celebration of the creative process and the global community of artisans that make each piece possible. Whether in the evidence of the hand or the imperfection of materials, we believe that how something is made is just as important as the end product—and we only partner with artisans who believe the same. Weavers in Tibet. Glassblowers in Eastern Europe. Carvers in Vietnam. Furniture makers in North Carolina. Each piece we design is made in small batches by human hands with a legacy for craftsmanship.
For her first collection available stateside, Lemieux drew inspiration from her personal archives, a design library she has been quietly compiling in the closet of her New York City loft for over two decades. A deep dive into the world of heirloom materials—burled oak, undyed Moroccan wools, solid travertines—these pieces are a retrospective on timeless design in both form and tactility.
THE INSIDE
Lemieux founded direct-to-consumer home decor startup The Inside, in 2017 with the help of Kirsten Green and $1.5 million in seed funding from Forerunner Ventures. Armed with over a decade of industry knowledge, Lemieux found a digital printer able to print onto natural fibers, to residential hospitality standards and installed it in a factory she knew to be particularly nimble in the suburbs of Chicago. Using this technology, The Inside is able to create on-demand, custom furniture without holding any inventory. The average price of one of its cool, Instagram-worthy pieces is $300, with benches and ottomans starting at $219 and queen headboards going for $499. A customer can expect their furniture to arrive in fast-turnaround time: six to 14 days. The Inside will collaborate with big-name designers; it features capsule collections by Scalamandré and Old World Weavers.
LIVING BY CHRISTIANE LEMIEUX
Launched exclusively in 2011 Living by Christiane Lemieux at House of Fraser in London and available for wholesale for the first time at Maison & Object in Paris in January 2018, The LIVING brand embraces the fresh, unconventional approach to interior styling that is synonymous with the designer. The brand offers furniture and home accessories alongside bedlinen and home textiles In a bold and varied colour palette. The collection encapsulates Christiane Lemieux’s signature style that is based on the philosophy of adventurous design and creativity within the home. Blending bold prints and eclectic accessories with retro style furniture, the LIVING by Christiane Lemieux collection offers super stylish homewares for the design minded home.
DWELLSTUDIO
Founded by Christiane Lemieux in 2000, DwellStudio is the design house for modern home and family furnishings—bedding, accessories, table linens, travel accessories and a line of baby and children's furnishings. With graphic prints and bold colors, the company's designs find excitement in the unexpected. DwellStudio is known for its contrasting styles, clean lines and classic elements with a modern twist. DwellStudio furnishings can be found at specialty and lifestyle shops around the world.
CLOTH & COMPANY
Launched in October 2016, Christiane Lemieux, Co-Founded Cloth & Company, a Chicago-made, fully customizable furniture company that brings the fast fashion concept to home design using ground-breaking printing technology and an unprecedented online experience.
Curated custom furniture was traditionally a service offered by interior designers to clients. For manufacturers, it involves the costly logistics of using the customer’s own materials or stocking expensive designer fabric, long lead times and complicated delivery. The seasoned veterans, pooled together their years of complimentary industry experience to provide a solution for today’s savvy online shopper, creating a brand that offers a made-to-order, custom, well-designed product with a rational price point that ships UPS in 6 days.
“The millennial generation is interested in the personal. When it comes to furniture and everything else, they want to be inspired by beautiful choices. They want customization, thoughtful options and the ability to express themselves through their spaces, “explains Christiane. “Finally technology has caught up to that vision.”
The shopping experience for Cloth & Company is equally as impressive. By incorporating the latest 3D modeling technology, the consumer is able to virtually experience the product with the option to choose from a vast selection of customized fabrics, high quality, frames, legs and tailoring details such as nail heads or welts. The company offers exclusive collections at a fraction of the current cost and time, each item is made to order relieving the burden of old inventory and physical product.