In this new episode of our Artisan of the Month series, we invite you to discover the world of Karen Grigorian. Introduced to this craft by chance nearly 30 years ago after arriving from Armenia, he is now among the very last master pleaters in France to work entirely by hand. Today, he welcomes us into his atelier.
The trade
Pleating is a traditional craft that transforms fabric, lending it both dimension and movement. Karen does not make the garments himself, he brings couturiers’ visions to life and gives them form. In his atelier, everything starts with hand-folded cardboard moulds. Fabric, leather, synthetic materials, or even fine bronze foil are then slipped inside before being placed into a steam oven to lock the folds in place. It’s a craft of absolute precision, coveted by top designers, where nothing will ever replace the artisan’s touch.
The gesture
Pleating is first and foremost a language of gestures: precise, refined, and passed down from generation to generation. These are movements shaped by technical mastery and the demanding nature of the raw material. Yet beyond the mechanics of the craft, there is Karen’s favorite gesture, the one that gives full meaning to his art: the moment when the fabric emerges from the mould and he discovers that the pleat has set to perfection. Above all, Karen dedicates his craftsmanship to the service of others. A pleater, pure and simple, he follows a singular guiding principle: “My satisfaction is my clients’ pleasure.”
Transmission
Today, there are no schools or formal training programs dedicated to pleating, the craft is learned exclusively through hands-on apprenticeship in the workshop. This is how Karen trained, mastering the secrets of crafting cardboard moulds on his own and through years of workshop experience. Beyond technique, true transmission comes to life when you take a master’s teachings, make them your own, and reinterpret them with a personal voice.
Step into Stéphanie Lacoste’s workshop in this new episode of our “Artisan of the Month” series and explore her weaving craft in pictures. To her, weaving is more than a passion; it is a way of life and a daily necessity.
The Trade
Weaving is an ancient craft intrinsically tied to human history and development. From the first fibers interlaced for clothing to the textiles that shaped civilizations, weavers have always mastered the art of transforming raw materials into daily essentials. Through her workshop “Curiosité Textile”, Stéphanie reinvents this age-old art. She dares to explore the unexpected, combining thread with straw, wood, or stone to create unique pieces. Her creations push the boundaries of traditional weaving, inviting us to rethink our perceptions.
The gesture
Like any exceptional craft, the gesture is central to the weaver’s art. Stéphanie appreciates each step of the weaving process for the diverse states of mind it brings: a constant dialogue between the poetry of choreography, the precision of mathematical projection, and deep concentration. It is this deft gesture, both technical and sensitive, that she is now committed to passing on in her turn within her workshop.
Transmission
For the weaver, transmission is not a simple sharing of knowledge; it is a need deeply embedded in her DNA. Transmitting means having a profound sense of playing her part in a collective endeavor and preserving the continuity of the gesture. This commitment is reflected in her desire to guide the younger generation in bringing their projects to life. By placing her expertise at the service of their creative aspirations, she faces new technical challenges: stimulating challenges that constantly revitalize her own creativity and push the limits of her art.
Driven by this shared ambition, the Fondation supported Stéphanie in the acquisition of a loom specifically dedicated to passing on her savoir-faire.
In this new episode of our “Artisan of the Month” series, discover the colorful work of stained glass artist Marie Grillo. A 2022 laureate of the Foundation, she applies her unique craftsmanship to interior design and architectural projects.
The Trade
The art of stained glass is an ancestral profession, inheriting age-old techniques passed down through generations and from one workshop to another. It shares a unique and intimate connection with time and with color, which truly comes alive and reveals its essence when light passes through it.
It was love at first sight for Marie during a cultural visit to a church that sparked her passion. She then undertook training before setting up her own workshop. Her ambition is clear: to elevate this expertise beyond its traditional ecclesiastical confines and introduce it into modern environments.
The gesture
The recognition of the master glassmaker’s techniques as part of France’s intangible cultural heritage is a testament to an art that embodies both tradition and memory. While its fundamental principles are universal, each workshop has, over generations and through the skills of its artisans, developed its own distinct identity, unique ‘house styles,’ and specific methods that define the singular character of every creation.
Marie’s favorite technique? Glass cutting. Not because it’s easy, but because of its unforgiving nature. It tolerates no errors, demanding absolute concentration and perfect control. It’s also the one that required the most dedication and resilience to achieve the millimeter precision that defines her art.
Transmission
The future of craft trades relies entirely on their transmission. While academic education plays a role, immersive learning in a workshop remains essential for achieving complete mastery. This is where ancestral knowledge is truly passed down through direct demonstration and practical application. For Marie, this virtuous cycle is driven by a dual passion: the joy of living and mastering her art, and the equally vital desire to share it in turn.
With the Foundation’s support, Marie acquired a plotter, a cutting machine designed to overcome the limitations of manual craftsmanship.
The Foundation is pleased to welcome Clarisse Petit, Rémy Cointreau Group‘s Human Resources Director, to its Board of Directors.
Bringing over 23 years of solid experience, Clarisse has built a career with leading international corporations. Holding degrees from Sciences Po Grenoble and a master’s in human resources, she has contributed to developing and directing key policies for diverse entities, including the Galeries Lafayette, Etam, and FNAC Éveil et Jeux Groups.
Before joining Rémy Cointreau on September 1, 2025, Clarisse held the position of Human Resources Director for Canal+ International, where she oversaw Europe, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.
Clarisse will bring a valuable human perspective to our Board of Directors, ensuring the perpetuation of our values. We are delighted to welcome her to this new chapter.
Our latest Artisan of the Month episode presents Pierre-Henri Beyssac, a wood marquetry craftsman. A laureate 2023 of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau and Meilleur Ouvrier de France, he embodies a singular expertise, merging tradition and innovation to redefine the codes and applications of marquetry.
The Trade
Known as “wood painting”, marquetry is an art that exploits the richness of wood species to create detailed “pictures”. It flourished in the 17th century, largely due to masters like André-Charles Boulle, and is distinguished by the essential notion of time and dedication. It was during his cabinetmaking vocational training that Pierre-Henri Beyssac discovered marquetry, falling in love with the craft. In his workshop, he works with hundreds of wood species, confronting the inherent challenges of the material and the continuous self-reflection inherent in this handcrafted work.
The gesture
The art of crafting a wooden marquetry piece requires a sequence of precise gestures, from the initial sketch to the meticulous selection of wood species, and through to the cutting and assembling of each segment. Of all these steps, Pierre-Henri Beyssac particularly enjoys scraping the wood, a technique that reveals an almost polished finish. This process forges an intimate bond with the medium, deeply engaging all his senses. Touch reveals the textures, hearing perceives the sound of the scraper, and above all, smell is stimulated by the specific fragrances released from every variety of wood he shapes.
Transmission
Transmission is the soul of all know-how. For Pierre-Henri, the challenge lies in passing on the skills acquired through experience, beyond written records. While seeking to share his craft, he discovered a paradoxical need: the need to unlearn his own practice to teach it more effectively. By breaking down movements that had become second nature, he finds a way to verbalize the intangible. He believes this process of un-learning is the very cornerstone of successful teaching and the driving force behind his own progress.
Driven by this desire to pass on his knowledge, Pierre-Henri found in the Fondation a partner who shared his vision of craftsmanship. This partnership took tangible form through the acquisition of a hydraulic press, a vital tool for approaching the creation of monumental scale works with peace of mind and the benefit of an optimal working environment.
On February 20th, the Savoir-Faire en Transmission Award ceremony once again highlighted the vital importance of apprenticeship and knowledge-sharing within the arts and crafts professions.
Savoir-faire en Transmission Award
Because craftsmanship cannot be learned from books alone, the Bureau du Design, de la Mode et des Métiers d’Art has created a unique program. Far more than just financial support, these awards offer young talents tangible support for workshop apprenticeship and professional integration. For a year, they confront the demanding realities of the craft, learning to master materials, techniques, and skills, while understanding the day-to-day management of a craft business.
For almost eight years, the Fondation Rémy Cointreau has been a dedicated partner in this initiative, believing that transmission is not just a core value, but the guiding principle of all its actions.
Caroline Martin-Rilhac, the Foundation’s General Delegate and a jury member since 2018, passionately drives this partnership. For the 2026 edition, she is joined by a host of dedicated benefactors, including the Michelle and Antoine Riboud Foundation, 19M, the European Flax and Hemp Alliance, the Signature Foundation, the Comité Colbert, and the Hôtels d’Amboise.
This year, twenty-five young artisans were honored for their exceptional talent and determination, including Camille Bruat at Atelier Nathanaël Le Berre, Anabel Giraud at Atelier Latour, Alexis Fredholm at Maxime Bellaunay, and Jules Rousseau at Atelier Monier.
The succession is already anticipated: the next call for applications will open on May 4, 2026!
Last February 10th, the Grand Palais, for the first time, welcomed the “Prix Avenir Métiers d’Art” ceremony. Organized by the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français, the event honored ten young artisans. Caroline Martin-Rilhac, General Delegate of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau, attended as a jury member, endorsing this initiative, which encourages the next generation of craftspeople.
The Prize
Since 2002, the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français has annually awarded the “Prix Avenir Métiers d’Art”. This prize is a true recognition for young trainees, offering them valuable visibility and support to launch their careers. By rewarding their technical mastery, their understanding of materials, and their creative vision, this competition fosters both excellence and innovation in the field.
As a longstanding benefactor, the Fondation Rémy Cointreau proudly supports this award. This engagement reflects the vision of its General Delegate, Caroline Martin-Rilhac: “In a world of accelerated immediacy, the artisans we are honoring today are the guardians of “slow excellence” – a principle that represents both a cultural necessity and an economic advantage. Supporting the crafts is a strategic investment for our future. These artisans are hubs of innovation, driving sustainable local growth and significantly enhancing our country’s global image. Supporting them means strengthening a unique French model of value creation, a model that combines heritage and modernity.”
As a member of the jury, Caroline Martin-Rilhac was delighted to honor three laureates from levels 5/6, recognized for the high quality of their work: Maxime Jeanne and Stanislas Echard, both cabinetmakers, and Maud Machabert, a jeweler.
Applications for the next edition of the Prix Avenir Métiers d’Art are now open. Eligibility is open to young people under 26 who are engaged in arts and crafts training (full-time or apprenticeship) during their final year of study. (Level 3 CAP; Level 4 BMA BTM, Bac Pro; Level 5/6 BTS, BTMS, DMA, DNMADE)
Metal sculptor and 2022 laureate of the Fondation, Ulysse Lacoste creates monumental works. His secret? A unique approach blending science and mathematics. This twenty-eighth episode invites you to discover his art’s duality, where craft meets engineering.
The Trade
Metal, an ancient and timeless material, continues to transcend eras and fields. Currently, it stands at the core of artisanal crafts, perpetually reinventing itself.
For a long time divided between science and art, Ulysse Lacoste discovered his true calling and perfect balance in metal sculpture. His works, full of poetry, explore geometric forms and materials with a certain sensitivity. His artistic process starts with small-scale designs, allowing him to refine his ideas and rethink form, volume, and balance, before translating them into monumental creations.
The gesture
The craftsman’s process begins with the gesture, from what is crafted by hand. He draws his inspiration from childhood. Ideas come alive when he rediscovers a child’s capacity for amazement, the freedom to play, and boundless curiosity that gives life to his ideas. This creativity is structured by mathematical precision. Using his compass, he draws lines of unparalleled precision, turning his craft into a kind of calculation. This unique fusion allows him to create pieces both technical and poetic, which he likes to call “elegant solutions”.
Transmission
Collaboration and transmission are fundamental in Ulysse’s workshop. Interns are deeply involved in monumental works, engaging in a synergistic “four hands, two brains” process where everyone’s ideas cultivate the common work. The aim is to awaken a creative spark in young talents.
Due to the physical demands of manipulating and crafting his monumental artworks, the Fondation Rémy Cointreau assisted Ulysse in acquiring a forklift. This tangible support is crucial for enhancing his working environment.
Bruno de Maistre is a cabinetmaker, furniture architect, and a laureate of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau. Working from his workshop in Auffargis, Bruno has been crafting wood for almost 15 years. In this new episode of “Artisan of the Month!” , discover his journey and his story.
The trade
While some episodes have already highlighted woodworking, this one will explore the universe of Bruno de Maistre, where wood fosters a dialogue between tradition and innovation. There are many wood artisans, yet they all share a common thread: a love and respect for this living material. This ancient craft boasts a wide range of applications, and furniture creation constitutes an essential part of it. Following a career in communication, Bruno found his passion in cabinetmaking, where he crafts unique pieces. He uses precious and solid woods for his creations, which is fundamental to furniture design.
The gesture
The cabinetmaker’s craft is extensive, rich in multiple gestures. But if you ask Bruno, he would reveal his special affection for marquetry. Marquetry is far more than a technique: after precisely cutting the veneer sheets, it’s when you begin to assemble them that you start writing veritable stories with the wood’s designs. Each grain, each nuance becomes a word, each assembly a sentence, and that’s how the story within the wood is told, page after page, in his marquetry pieces.
The transmission
The cabinetmaker’s trade is currently experiencing a constant transformation and adaptation to new developments. For Bruno, this evolution presents an opportunity to unveil the individual’s potential, to educate the craftsmen of tomorrow by broadening their perspective on the richness of this profession. It is, above all, about passing on passion’s flame, teaching traditional know-how, all while fostering innovation and creativity.
In woodworking, the planer is an essential reference, guiding the entire production process. Offering accuracy of a tenth of a millimeter, this machine has received support from the Foundation for its acquisition by Bruno de Maistre.
In this new episode of “Artisan of the Month,” discover the work of Alexandra Latour, embroiderer and 2023 laureate of the Fondation Rémy Cointreau. In her workshop, she defends the craft of embroidery, guided by her ethical and environmental values.
The Trade
Embroidery is a valued art form with a history stretching back to the Middle Ages, when silk, gold, and silver threads embellished court garments, royal furnishings, and liturgical vestments. t is a way of drawing and sculpting fabric with thread and a needle. After graduating from École Boulle and accumulating experience within renowned houses, Alexandra founded her own workshop. She perpetuates tradition there by handcrafting embroidery projects, while also modernity with her work on the Cornely machine.
The Gesture
Behind every embroidery lies a gesture that combines technical precision with artistic freedom. Each movement is an intimate and deeply personal engagement with the material. There’s no strict protocol; the embroiderer is led by creativity and inspiration, thanks to Alexandra’s favorite tool, the Cornely. Thanks to its versatility, this machine provides a true playground of possibilities for crafting unique visuals, elaborate applications, and inventive motifs. It allows embroiderers to explore new textures and play with volumes and colors, thus transforming each piece into a textile work of art.
The Transmission
As a fundamental pillar of French craftsmanship, embroidery consistently stands out, holding a privileged position, especially within the world of haute couture. It embodies historical savoir-faire passed down through generations. For Alexandra, the mastery and transmission of the Cornely technique is crucial. This initiative allows for the reinforcement of local production and the centralization of French manufacturing, thereby guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of the creations.
