Each week, Kristen de La Vallière, design curator, editor and founder of say hi to_, asks three questions to our participants. Today Kristen talks with Clément Rougelot and Kevin Dolci, co-founders of the independent design label 13Desserts. 

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Kristen de la Vallière: 2020-2021 has been full of changes for the contemporary art and furniture industry. We often focus on the negatives of those, but we think it could be a very exciting time to see all of the positive changes it may have brought about. What do you think the future of collecting and exhibitions looks like?

Clément Rougelot & Kevin Dolci: Last year, we all spent more time at home. We had to relearn how to live in our own environment. As a result, people now pay more and more attention to the impact of design in their lives; they seem to be more sensitive to provenance and manufacturing methods. With the crisis we also assisted in the advent of 3D and virtual spaces. Even if the physical need remains, the advent of 3D has had an impact on the way we create, how we promote and project ourselves in space, with almost endless possibilities. It’s actually an exciting time to be alive.

“The advent of 3D had an impact on the way we create, we promote and project ourselves in space, with almost endless possibilities.”

KdlV: What advice would you give to those looking to start their functional art collection?

CR&KD: First suggestion, you should definitely visit www.13desserts.fr. Secondly, within the last few years, we saw the number of actors in the design market increase. There are always more and more players and it is difficult to find what you’re looking for. The best advice we can give is to look for pieces that suit your needs and desires rather than betting on the notoriety of a designer. You also must put more trust in the emerging designer. There are many of them out there taking more risks, questioning new issues and exploring new visions: that’s what design is all about.

KdlV: How are events like COLLECTIBLE important for functional artists, galleries and collectors?

CR&KD: As a young artist, it's quite hard to find your place in the market and find an echo in that small world surrounding design. COLLECTIBLE is a very good place to start. The fair offers an intimate and supportive environment where emerging artists can connect with more established studios. The quality of the exhibitions and participants means we must meet the demand for discussion and the need of confronting our work with others in order to evolve. For a small studio, it is an investment, but worthwhile. We need to trust these types of initiatives.

We are convinced that after the creation process, the success of the career of a designer/artist relies a lot on the network we have been able to forge. We have to create our own opportunities.

About 13Desserts

Founded in 2019 by Clément Rougelot and Kevin Dolci, 13Desserts is an independent design label with a multidisciplinary approach. It brings together a unique selection of French designers, all concerned with artisanal expertise and working with high quality materials. The label offers the work of both emerging designers, and already established artists through annual collections in small series, or limited and numbered editions.