Clément Loustau – Cabinetmaker

Île-de-France – 1988

After ten years in digital marketing, Clément Loustau retrained as a cabinetmaker in 2019, reconnecting with a passion for woodworking nurtured since childhood. What began as crafting furniture for himself and refining his techniques within associations like “À travers fil” soon became a calling. Seeking to fully express his creative vision, he joined École Boulle in 2020. After graduating with a vocational diploma in cabinetmaking (CAP) in 2022, he founded his own studio the following year within L’Éclair, a shared craft workshop in Épinay-sur-Seine.

Today, he brings his expertise to architects, interior decorators, designers, and private clients, overseeing every step of the creative process, from initial design and prototyping to final production. In partnership with designer Paul Bonlarron, he has particularly made his mark with intricate ceramic inlay work, notably for the dining room of the Salon des Nouveaux Ensembliers and the Paul Poiret lounge, both created for the Mobilier National.

Research and innovation

Clément blends craftsmanship with modern technology for his inlay creations. He digitizes various materials and processes them in 3D to generate custom machining files. These files enable him to execute precision routing with an endless variety of shapes and patterns. In parallel, he is pioneering a mechanical spray-coloring process to master color gradients.

Rooted in sustainable craftsmanship, Clément works mainly with local solid timber, reintegrating all wood offcuts into his creations. He also collaborates closely with Hauts-Reliefs, an organization committed to upcycling 18th- and 19th-century furniture. Within this collective, designer–craftsperson duos reinvent and elevate discarded heirlooms into distinctive, second-life pieces.

Transmission

Clément’s practice has been deeply enriched by the people he met throughout his career transition. Alongside passionate craftspeople, he learned far more than mere techniques and gestures: he mastered workshop management, gained an intimate understanding of materials, and built his own set of tools.

Today, passing on his craft comes naturally to him, and he regularly welcomes cabinetmaking trainees from École Boulle.

To reach a new milestone, Clément aims to equip his workshop with a Shaper Origin and its mobile station, tools he is already trained to use. Thanks to the Fondation‘s support, this acquisition will provide him with full independence in his routing work and unlock new creative possibilities for his inlays.