{"id":41188,"date":"2015-11-05T08:00:38","date_gmt":"2015-11-05T13:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uncommongoods.com\/?p=41188"},"modified":"2015-11-04T14:00:53","modified_gmt":"2015-11-04T19:00:53","slug":"portable-art-de-vivre-shujan-bertrands-designs-for-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/2015\/portable-art-de-vivre-shujan-bertrands-designs-for-living\/","title":{"rendered":"Portable Art de Vivre: Shujan Bertrand’s Designs for Living"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Francisco-based Shujan Bertrand draws design inspiration from many quarters and cultures\u2014from her Korean-American extended family, from her husband\u2019s French heritage and her time in Provence, and from the sustainability-focused culture of the Bay area. But her innovative \u00e0plat<\/em> collection of totes was born in an \u201ca-ha\u201d moment related to a gift of flowers, a universal gesture of kindness and expression of the simple, shared beauty of life. Recently, we asked Shujan to discuss her love of designing for the \u201cart of living,\u201d and found that she\u2019s in good company\u2014from the Nabis to Ani DiFranco.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Shujan<\/a><\/p>\n

Shujan Bertrand<\/a><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve said that your <\/strong>\u00e0plat line is inspired by the French art de vivre.<\/em> What do you think defines that movement or lifestyle?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The French notion of the \u201cart of living\u201d is truly a way of life in my family. My French husband and I lived and designed in Italy and France for several years before returning to San Francisco. I created \u00e0plat in memory and translation of my family lifestyle in France and the daily rituals of sharing good food, drink, and good company. I\u2019m Korean-American, born and raised in Manhattan Beach, CA, and although my husband and I shared similar family values and daily rituals, they were of course\u00a0completely\u00a0different culturally. My life changed after meeting my husband and then living in\u00a0Europe, where I started to experience l\u2019art de vivre.<\/em> Everyday routines took on new meaning, and the mundane things around me felt like art and poetry.<\/p>\n

My in-laws home in Nice\u2014which they built with their own hands\u2014is perched on a small hill overlooking the Mediterranean. They have a small fruit and vegetable garden that they pick from seasonally. In the summers, the lavender is harvested to make sachet pouches and the home is always <\/em>filled with friends and neighbors, coming over to eat and drink homemade wine.\u00a0 Every member of the Bertrand family started their personal wine collection at an early age, and it\u2019s stored in the basement cellar. Each bottle has a personal story of where it came from, and when you decide to share the bottle that story gets shared.\u00a0 You might call this an old way of living, but it was new for me.\u00a0 It was beautiful.<\/p>\n

\"provence-180485_1920\"<\/p>\n

Lavender Growing in Provence<\/p>\n

How does l\u2019art de vivre<\/em> inform your designs for the <\/strong>\u00e0plat collection?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many types of tart or pie carriers out there, but the ones I admired in France were my mother-in-law\u2019s made of old linens by her mother. I also admired the bread bags and pouches that hang in every French kitchen, and the crates and baskets used to carry wine. These are products that have been around for a very long time in Europe\u2014I simply brought them together into one community, into the \u00e0plat\u00a0collection of culinary totes. <\/strong>This is why I say that \u00e0plat originated in France, and is deeply rooted in a culture of friendship, where socializing is not a verb but a life philosophy, and where generosity is a daily ritual. \u00c0plat reminds us to find joy and pleasure in making the everyday beautiful.<\/p>\n

\"Nabie<\/a><\/p>\n

Nabie Bertrand carrying the Sac a Fleur<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The first tote in the collection was the \u00e0 fleur<\/em> bouquet tote.\u00a0 I was on the way to Renee Zellweger’s gallery opening at Summer School<\/a>, and I wanted to give her a beautiful bouquet for her new launch. When I picked up the bouquet, I couldn’t see the flowers anymore because they were covered in paper and cellophane with a ribbon. It didn’t feel like a gift anymore. This was my moment of insight: that a bouquet should be quiet (not crinkly plastic), and you should be able to see the flowers and let them be seen. That evening I began to sew prototypes of what I thought a bouquet tote could be, and shared the design idea with my husband and his parents who were in town from France. The next day, we brainstormed the possibilities of something good, something new.\u00a0 I was so excited about the flower design that I extended the line to carry wine, food, and bread. In less than a few days, the design of the entire collection was complete. I let the samples incubate for about a month, then decided to share it with someone I trusted to give me honest feedback. \u00a0I showed it to Cathy Bailey, owner and creative director of HEATH Ceramics, who loved the collection and wanted to help me test it.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"aplat<\/a>Shujan’s sketches for the \u00e0plat\u00a0<\/a><\/em>collection<\/a><\/p>\n

How did the design challenge of the \u00e0plat line differ from some of the other product design work that you\u2019ve done?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The design challenge was very different because I was responsible for everything\u2014from the raw material I sourced to the lifespan of the product. I committed to achieving a \u201ccradle to cradle<\/a>\u201d design, and the \u00e0plat\u00a0design challenge was to leverage local manufacturing to create a global brand. I committed to sustainability and designing products\u00a0that produce zero waste in production, and most importantly are designed to last for generations. Part of this design challenge was designing a collection that consists of squares and rectangles so that I use 100% of the yard and end with zero waste. Another part of the key to sustainability is to not over-produce and exhaust resources. Currently,\u00a0\u00e0plat\u00a0is made to order by seasonal projections. To make the designs last, the straps are double locked in two locations, and four bar tacks help to keep seams steady to hold 15-20 lbs.\u00a0 These products are designed for my 9-year-old daughter’s and 5-year-old son\u2019s generation, but made to be passed down to their children.<\/p>\n

\"Sac<\/a><\/p>\n

Sac a Plat<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Are there certain artists, designers, or movements that have inspired your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love and respect the Nabis<\/em><\/a> so much that we named our daughter Nabie after them. Like other progressive artists at the turn of the century, they pursued the goal of integrating art with daily life. Also, Nabi means Butterfly in Korean, so the art movement and the beauty of nature brings a lot of meaning to me.<\/p>\n

I like designer Eileen Fisher for her approach to design and manufacturing.\u00a0 Her background and efforts to put herself through college and build a beautiful business inspires me to do the same with \u00e0plat. I also put myself through college, and thankfully was given a full scholarship to the ArtCenter College of Design<\/a> (I would have never made it otherwise). I hope one day to give back to the community and maintain local, sustainable manufacturing like Eileen Fisher<\/a>. On the food front, I strongly support the farm-to-table movement, buying local and eating from small local producers.<\/p>\n

\"Sac<\/a><\/p>\n

Sac a Pain<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Do you have any favorite quotations that provide a philosophy to live and work by, or inspiration for your work? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many\u2026but perhaps a few that come to mind:<\/p>\n

“To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour.” – William Blake<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.\u201d – Mother Teresa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort, where we overlap.\u201d – Ani DiFranco<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Reinforced strap detail and tools<\/p>\n

Can you describe your studio space? What are some of your favorite features and the inspiring qualities of where you work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a year, I worked out of my home\/office while I still had my corporate job, and inventory was in my garage and a local factory in San Francisco\u2019s Mission Bay.\u00a0 For three months now, I’ve been working out of a shared space, thankfully across the street from my factory. The studio\u2019s most inspiring aspects are the people I share it with!\u00a0 From Stanford tech engineers to MBA folks and amazing accessory and apparel designers. Visually, the studio is a melting pot\u2014a representation of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, from hardware to software. We share a fully equipped prototyping lab and machine shop with 3D printers and several industrial sewing machines\u2014perfect for making anything. It\u2019s a great reflection of my past in tech and my future in soft goods.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Sac a Plat<\/em><\/a> at the farmer’s market<\/p>\n

Can you give us a peek at your working on now or what\u2019s next for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes\u2014very happy to share!\u00a0 I\u2019m collaborating with Top Chef Melissa King<\/a> to create a limited edition \u00e0plat tote. We will feature it this holiday and extend the line in Spring 2016. Also, I\u2019m eager to collaborate with the Museum of Food and Drink<\/a>. I don\u2019t know anyone there yet, but I\u2019m hoping they\u2019ll be interested!<\/p>\n

\"See<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shujan Bertrand draws design inspiration for her \u00e0plat collection from many quarters and cultures\u2014from the “art of living” of Provence to the sustainable design scene of San Francisco.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":41225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[743],"tags":[37,2042,1371],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41188"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/144"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41188"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41489,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41188\/revisions\/41489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}