Announcing the 2025 Oui Design! Immersion Grantees

A Franco-British national, born into a family of painters, sculptors, and decorators, Blundell was introduced to art history at an early age. During her youth, she lived in London, Brussels, Pondicherry, and Polynesia, shaping her diverse artistic culture. After studying fine arts, she specialized in figurative painting and engraving at the Ateliers de la Glacière before joining various studios dedicated to the creation and restoration of painted décors in Paris. Over fifteen years, she refined her technique and deepened her expertise in interior decoration, contributing to prestigious projects in France and abroad.

In 2013, she co-founded Atelier Blundell & Therrien with her partner Christophe. Together, they create décors that bridge art and craftsmanship, drawing on practical know-how, a deep knowledge of art history, and contemporary creativity to design innovative and timeless interiors.

Originally from the French Pyrenees, Cécile has always been passionate about creating and handcrafting everyday objects, especially when working with flexible materials, such as textiles and metal. After seven years as an architect, Cécile Gayraud, aka Gray, returned to her true calling: textile, fashion and accessory design. She trained in fashion design at Atelier Chardon Savard before developing her own weaving technique to create metallic mesh. Hundreds of gold wires are crimped by hand and shaped into sculptural “garment jewelry.” Combining technical expertise and artistic sensibility, Cécile is inspired by the intersection of disciplines and scales. She is deeply attached to the craftsmanship of handwork, valuing the tactile connection with materials and the precision of each gesture.

Since 2019, she has been refining her unique savoir-faire and establishing her own creative studio. Winner of the Audience Prize at the Hyères International Festival and the Elle-LVMH Craftswomen’s Award, she collaborates with luxury houses such as Hermès and Ruinart, pushing the boundaries of material innovation. Passionate about expanding her expertise, she seeks to explore new creative landscapes and connect with international artisans and designers.

Mathilde Martin grew up with a dancer mother and a photographer father, exploring artistic expression from an early age. She started ceramics at the age of seven and later became a professional after studying art history, eventually opening her ceramic design studio in 2017.

Over the years, she has specialized in the coiled pinch technique, which gives her creations a unique structure and texture while maintaining great finesse in the details. She has particularly focused her work and research on the vase, its forms, and volumes, viewing it not only as a functional object but increasingly as a sculpture—leading to her most recent collection featuring a closed vase. She has worked with brands, such as Jacquemus, Saint Laurent, and Hermès in France, and has a growing international clientele, particularly in the American market and in New York.

This year marks a turning point for her studio, as she will soon present at the Matter & Shape fair in Paris. She will unveil a new color palette and art furniture, starting with a collection of ceramic lamps and tables featuring ceramic mosaic—a technique she has recently trained in to expand the horizons of her practice.

After earning a Master’s in painting from the École des Arts Décoratifs de Strasbourg and specializing in decorative painting at the Van der Kelen School in Brussels, Pierre-Yves Morel applied his expertise to historical conservation and set design. In 2018, his trompe l’œil work led to a collaboration with designer Nel Verbeke at Schloss Hollenegg for Design, followed by projects in Brussels and London, where he refined his marbling and woodgraining techniques.

In 2021, he founded his Brussels-based studio, modernizing decorative painting traditions. His painted marble cabinets for the Camondo School were acquired by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and he was selected for Les Aliénés by the Mobilier National. Recognized in the Homo Faber Guide, he has since collaborated with Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chaumet.

Recent projects include trompe l’œil work for Abdelkader Benchamma’s installations at the Vitry-sur-Seine metro and Centre Pompidou, as well as innovative finishes for designer Romain Baty. Awarded Empreinte de l’Année in 2024, his work was exhibited at the Salon des Artisans d’Excellence and will be presented at the Biennale Révélation in 2025.

Julien Vermeulen trained at Lycée Octave Feuillet in Paris, the world’s last institution dedicated to feather arts. He furthered his expertise with degrees in Fashion Design and Plastic Arts and refined his craft during an apprenticeship at Maison Lemarié, part of Chanel’s prestigious 19M. In 2014, he founded his own atelier, Maison Vermeulen, quickly earning recognition for his innovative approach to featherwork. Collaborating with renowned luxury houses such as Loewe, Dior, Cartier, Bulgari, Saint Laurent, and Givenchy, he creates every piece in-house, ensuring excellence in both craftsmanship and creativity. With a near-scientific approach, Julien Vermeulen reinvents featherwork, manipulating texture, color, and form through unique techniques—burning, curling, weaving, and more.

His work explores the interplay of light, often favoring monochrome contrasts of deep blacks and ethereal whites. Committed to preserving and evolving this ancestral savoir-faire, he welcomed a Michelangelo Foundation fellow into his atelier in 2024. Recently, he integrated digitally-led weaving loom and knitting technologies, expanding creative possibilities. Today, he leads a team of six artisans, pushing the boundaries of feather artistry, weaving, and knitting into new realms.