In episode seven I tackle the second part of a series of episodes on inspiration, and continue to investigate how living in France can have an influence on one’s creative voice.
In part one I chat to Kasia Dietz, a handbag designer, and in part two I talk to Anne Ditmeyer, a freelance graphic designer and consultant. They both have an energy and enthusiasm for their life in France and have each carved out a niche for themselves in France, as highly creative designers but also as innovative entrepreneurs.
Part 1: it’s in the bag
I headed up to the northern Marais to chat to Kasia Dietz, a handbag designer from New York and well-known Parisian blogger. Kasia’s bags are handpainted and are what she refers to as “wearable art” and are stocked in boutiques in several countries, including France, England and Greece. Her Paris and New York collections are inspired by her time in both cities and I wanted to find out how she manages to reconcile her love of these two very different cities in her work.
We discussed the personal and professional journey she took to find herself in France, how she got started as a handbag designer, what role New York and Paris play in her work, what it’s like to be an autoentrepreneur in France, and what inspires her about Paris.
Where to find her: website – blog – twitter – facebook
Where we met: Café Crème – 4 rue Dupetit Thouars, 75003
Favourite places in Paris: Northern Marais (NoMa), being by the Seine at sunset and the Ile-Saint-Louis, the Village Saint-Paul, the Louvre, Palais Royal, Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, l’Orangerie, Musée Picasso.
Part 2: looks matter
I wandered over to the Mosquée de Paris to chat to Anne Ditmeyer, a freelance graphic designer, consultant and blogger with a feisty, innovative energy. Anne is an extensive traveller and entrepreneur: amongst other things she is a contributing editor for design*sponge and their “sneak peek interiors column”, is the inspiring force behind prêt à voyager, a highly successful blog focusing on travel and creativity, runs custom tours of Paris with Vayable, has also had her work featured in such magazines as Anthology and Easy Jet Traveller and most recently is working on launching a new project called studio/practice, a curated library of practical tips and tools for freelancers around the world.
We talked about how she found herself in France and what keeps drawing her back, where she looks for innovation and how Paris continues to inspire her.
Where to find her: website – blog – twitter - facebook
Where we met: La Mosquée de Paris – 39 rue Saint-Hilaire, 75005
More interesting links : design*sponge - studio/practice - Vayable - (un)glamorous Paris series – Tour de France series – French lessons series
Favourite places in Paris: wandering the neighbourhoods, Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Palais de Tokyo
Full picture gallery
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Anne Ditmeyer -
Anne Ditmeyer -
Anne Ditmeyer
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Kasia Dietz -
Kasia Dietz
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Mosquée de Paris -
Mosquée de Paris -
Mosquée de Paris -
Tiny sparrows at the Mosquée de Paris -
From right bank to left bank (or left bank to right bank?) -
Crossing the Seine
2 Comments
What “inspirational” women! I like that they both love France and are very realistic about the drawbacks of living there, yet manage to continue to be inspired by it too. Great episode. I look up to women like this.
This is so helpful! Thanks for 1) doing these interviews and 2) sharing them with us. It makes the move to Paris a bit less scary for me.
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