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Etienne de Souza
“Seeking unique materials (with respect to nature) to add dimension and character to a piece of furniture has always been my passion. Every exotic natural materials I work with are like books to me. They all tell a story of their own kind. Before they get transmuted into something elegant and of high quality a lot of time and attention has been given to read and understand them as intended. “
About etienne
As a child Etienne was inclined towards the arts when he later studied architecture at the Ecole Des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The designer had a successful jewellery and fashion accessories business in France, but decided to close that down in the pursuit of a new adventure.
In the 1990s, he visited several countries in Southeast Asia and found himself falling in love with Bali island for its rich and beautiful culture. More so for the talented artist and artisans and the availability of a variety of raw material. He then established his brand “Etienne de Souza” in 1997 and started to produce high-end bespoke furniture and interior objects.
The designer trained local craftsmen to get the highest quality using old European techniques, particularly in the art of “marquetry” and special finishes. His love to explore new shapes, materials and patterns turns into unique timeless objects.
Starting from ideas with clients to finalising the design on sketch, every piece is custom made and unique. Hence, requiring a few months to produce one piece. Today Etienne de Souza collaborates with the most famous architects and interior designers all over the world on special projects such as luxury boutiques, restaurants, hotels, spas and private residence.
Sustainable Furniture
design
“How can we better preserve mother nature and at the same time integrate a closed-loop furniture manufacturing process in our workshop?”
This is one question that constantly rings in the mind of all that works with Etienne. Aside to creative design, having minimal negative impact to the environment is the way forward.
Food waste like cattle bones, oyster shells and coconut shells that would normally end up in the landfills, gets redirected to the our workshop where they have their beauty rediscovered and gets repurposed into a long-lasting furniture.
“The great thing about marquetry, which is also the most challenging part is that all the materials we work with are cut into minute pieces. Which means there are minimal chances of creating any material wastage.”
