Behind the scenes at Majuno
Julie
The instigator
For the time being, Julie can count all the different jobs she's had on the fingers of two hands, but how long will this last ?
The creator of Majuno has been a press agent, the owner of a stationery shop at the Carrousel du Louvre, an interior designer, the creator of Airdeje (interior design for children's bedrooms) and now of Little Green Bay, an exceptional hotel on the Croatian island of Hvar. This natural-born entrepreneur has always been full of ideas. Good ideas.
When she entered the workforce, Julie promised herself she'd have at least ten jobs. And she's keeping her word. Her career path is sure to give hope to all those children who do not really like school. She hated it. "We always put our finger where it hurts, we're never encouraging," she recounts. Julie despises classrooms, but she loves learning. READ MORE
Her first teachers were her parents, collectors of contemporary art and lifelong bargain hunters. Her father was the CEO of Plein Ciel and, her mother, the owner of several stationery shops in Paris, all while raising three children. Along with her brother and sister, Julie grew up in a joyful atmosphere where beauty and craftsmanship were important values. So it was only natural for her to take up interior design, the common thread running through all her activities. She trained in interior architecture at the Charpentier academy before embarking on a rich professional life, during which she excelled at bringing together the best in each discipline.
Julie is a good listener, she's very confident in her team even if she knows exactly where she wants to go - that's what everyone at Majuno says. With this project, as ambitious as it is innovative, she wants to offer everyone the chance to acquire a unique coffee table, whether it's been created by master craftsmen in a limited series, or whether it's the fruit of someone's imagination when customizing a table.
But what does Majuno mean anyway ? Nothing, or rather everything. It is the combination of three names : Mathieu, Julie and Noémie, the three siblings. Julie, her brother and her sister are very close and have always supported each other in their respective projects. But this time, for once, she's started something on her own : Majuno. And so, as a way of having Mathieu and Noémie by her side somewhere, somehow, she's merged their names together to create a single one.
These lines are written on the day before the launch of Majuno and guess what, Julie already has a new idea for the future. So we beg you to be a little patient, the spirited and serial entrepreneur hasn't said her last word yet.
From left to right :
Elodie Joly, Julie Shibel, Edouard Sombié, Isabelle Pothain, Alexandra Alévêque, Yvan Moreau, Géraldine Fau.
Elodie Joly
The colourist
It is only fair that, trough these portraits, we introduce the people who've made this project possible. Elodie Joly's contribution is so enriching that being a colorist is only a part of her work. There was the color palette, of course, which she helped define for our selection of exceptional coffee tables. From straw marquetry to mosaics and lava stone, she was given carte blanche to work with artisans to imagine these tabletops that could be hung on walls like works of art. A skilled technician, she also set out the multiple stages of the manufacturing process, from start to finish. READ MORE
Establishing the color ranges, the rythm and distribution of the nuances but also their feasibility, this textile stylist by training is always attentive to the smallest detail, whether it's to make Majuno an exceptional brand or for L'Honorable, the embroidered jewelry brand she created in 2017. Like the rest of her colleagues, this Nantaise by adoption is driven by her perfectionism and her love for a job well done.
Isabelle Pothain
The art director
An architect and interior designer, Isabelle Pothain has more than one string to her bow. An ESDI graduate, she first worked in advertising agencies (Printemps du Luxe...) before moving on to brand design (Chanel...) and furniture design. Now the art director at Majuno, she has worked hand-in-hand with Julie since the very beginning of the project. Bonded by a friendship spanning more than thirty years, they have collaborated on many occasions, but Majuno is probably their biggest brainchild. Between the two of them, ideas flow and materialize, whatever the obstacles. And there were plenty of them on this pharaonic project. READ MORE
Isabelle knows that Julie's ideas will see the light of day whatever the cost, which is why these two go-getters have worked so hard to bring Majuno to life. From the exceptional tables to the various items in our catalog, not forgetting the made-to-order pieces and their countless combinations, Isabelle has thought of every detail, for the love of beauty.
Alexandra Alévêque
The portrait artist
A reporter for 25 years, Alexandra Alévêque has worked for numerous channels (France Télévision, Canal +, Paris Première, etc.) and press agencies (Capa Presse, Eléphant et Cie, etc.). Specializing in immersive journalism, she likes to slip into the daily lives of her interlocutors, particularly for the series 21 Days on France 2. Multi-instrumentalist, Alexandra is the author of a filming story at Robert Laffont and a novel, she also lends her deep voice to prestigious documentary films. Feeding on flea markets since a young age, she created Beau Oui in 2021, an online sales site for old objects. READ MORE
Quite logically, she loved portraying the various members of the Majuno family, as well as the artisans behind our exceptional coffee tables. Getting to know so many different artists with such diverse backgrounds—what could be more beautiful than that ?
Yvan Moreau
The photographer
Since the beginning of Yvan Moreau's career, photography and interior design have been intertwined. It all began with a prestigious godfather, for among his first shots were sets by Jacques Garcia, a leading figure in the world of interior design for several decades now. Their collaboration resulted in two subsequent projects. The photographer went on to work with the renowned Chinese curator Pearl Lam, a specialist in contemporary art. He has also been commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture to photograph numerous pieces from the collection of Mobilier National. Yvan Moreau's photographs are featured in some of the world's most prestigious interior design magazines, including the cutting-edge T Magazine (a weekly supplement to the New York Times). READ MORE
At the request of Julie, Yvan has captured not only the images but also the aura that our tables exude, because there's no doubt, all objects are alive.
Géraldine Fau
The writing
Géraldine Fau has been a commercial producer for some twenty years, working with agencies such as BDDP & Fils, Première Heure and Bandits. She has produced commercials for clients as diverse as Renault, Armani and the Ritz Hotel. READ MORE
Julie and Géraldine are friends who share a devilish sense of humor and a taste for beautiful objects, noble materials and good craftsmanship. They enjoy visiting exhibitions together, and searched through the aisles of Maison&Objet when it was time to scout out manufacturers and artisans for Majuno. Naturally, Julie entrusted Géraldine with the task of writing the texts for the site. It's a Titan's job, as the entries are extensive : families of objects ranging from coffee tables to rugs and lighting fixtures, artisans, shapes and materials, Géraldine knows everything there is to know about the Majuno catalog.
Dylan Lis
The animator
A graduate of the Ecole Spéciale d'Architecture, Dylan Lis is a young architect and designer. He specializes in the creation of dreamlike 3D worlds, as well as in art direction. He masters both the technical aspects of his original craft, particularly woodworking, and the design of surrealistic spaces. READ MORE
From his home in Tokyo, where he has been living for the past two years, he has created 3D animated films and visuals for Majuno, a visual aid as aesthetically pleasing as it is necessary to bring our tables to life.
It is thanks to him that our custom tables look so good in your living room—as if they were already yours !