At 3daysofdesign 2025 the smow team met up with an old friend of these dispatches: Erwan Bourroullec. With whom over a coffee they spoke about his work, the poetic power of his work, the story behind the iconic La Grange barn — and, of course, the new Vitra Mynt chair.
smow: To start, a few quick questions to get to know you better. Erwan, are you more into punk or jazz?
Erwan Bouroullec: I'm more inclined to punk
smow: Sweet or salty?
Erwan Bouroullec: Salty.
smow: Chair or table?
Erwan Bouroullec: Chair.
smow: Scandi or French?
Erwan Bouroullec: European.
smow: Colour or black-white?
Erwan Bouroullec: Colour.
smow: Nature or city?
Erwan Bouroullec: Jungle.
smow: Wood or metal?
Erwan Bouroullec: Makes no difference.
smow: This isn't your first time in Copenhagen for the 3daysofdesign. Our feeling is that the event is getting bigger every year. More people, more energy—almost more than in Milan or Paris. Do you feel that too?
Erwan Bouroullec: Yes, definitely. It's an event that's really growing—and that's nice to see. At the same time, I have the feeling that in two or three years it will be significantly bigger. I want the more intimate format it used to have.
smow: More human, more tangible?
Erwan Bouroullec: Exactly. But that's life – it evolves.
smow: You work in Paris. At the beginning of your career, you had a studio in Belleville with your brother. Today you work alone.
Erwan Bouroullec: I can basically work anywhere. My work is very thoughtful — I spend a lot of time thinking about things. My studio is in Paris, but I also often work from home. I talk a lot, make a lot of phone calls, exchange ideas. Therefore, the location is often irrelevant—I can work anywhere. And then there's this place in the countryside...
smow: The famous La Grange?
Erwan Bouroullec: Exactly. But I wouldn't call it a studio or a laboratory. It's more like a collection of buildings designed for different activities. It offers a different perspective on life. Most designers work in metropolises—Paris, Lyon, Barcelona. But it's just as important to look at the world from a non-urban place. In the countryside, you have more space, a car, tools, a garage. It changes your perspective.
smow: Artificial intelligence is present in many creative processes today. Is that something you use?
Erwan Bouroullec: Yes, especially when writing. I write a lot – mostly in English. I don't know why, but English is a natural language for me when it comes to design. I use ChatGPT to optimize grammar and word choice. My English is okay, but not perfect, so it helps me express my thoughts more clearly. I think very associatively, jumping between ideas – a tool like this brings structure.
smow: And in terms of images or design?
Erwan Bouroullec: Not really. Sometimes I play with it a bit – mostly when working with students. But not as a serious creative tool. I don't use it for that.
smow: You just described the inspiration as a kind of mental wandering. How did the project for the Mynt chair for Vitra come about?
Erwan Bouroullec: It wasn't an idea that came to me alone. It was a group project – maybe ten people were involved. From the beginning, we had a shared vision: to design a dynamic chair that responds to the body – to the "inner monkey," if you will. At the same time, it should be very efficiently reproducible. And beyond that, we all believe that elegance is a key to comfort. An elegant chair signals "welcome." I also prefer the word elegance to beauty – it has something civil and hospitable about it. This blend of form, precision and poise was our shared approach. And it was definitely not a solitary process.
smow: How did the name Mynt arise?
Erwan Bouroullec: Finding names is never easy—many are already trademarked. With Mynt we tested about 30 names. We liked the sound—it's fresh and light.
smow: Like mint.
Erwan Bouroullec: Exactly. Something refreshing, accessible, subtle—it just worked.
smow: Is the Arba Lounge Chair, which you designed for Raawii, a stylistic departure from your previous work? It appears almost floating, very light, almost futuristic.
Erwan Bouroullec: Honestly, I don't know. I never start with a concrete stylistic idea. The form emerges in the process, as a reaction to requirements. Style develops from that—if at all. So I can't say whether this is a break or not.
smow: And how did the collaboration with Raawii come about?
Erwan Bouroullec: Hard to say. Neither of us remembers exactly. We met, hit it off, wanted to do something together – and off we went. It's usually like this: You start, and along the way, your goals crystallize. The beginning is often vague.
smow: Is there a designer personality – living or deceased – with whom you would like to have a coffee?
Erwan Bouroullec: There are many people I'd like to work with—but not necessarily designers. I'm interested in the diversity of people you meet in the process: engineers, salespeople, marketing people. I love engineers—they bring structure and precision. Marketing people have this talent for empathy; they have to truly understand people. In design, we often tend toward orthodoxy—I sometimes joke with my daughters that designers are like monks: with rules they impose on themselves. It's good to bring in other perspectives.
smow: Is there anyone who has had a particular influence on you?
Erwan Bouroullec: Yes, absolutely: Jasper Morrison. His work was formative for me. He established ways of thinking and rules that continue to influence us today – almost like a historical foundation upon which we all build to some extent. I really like his attitude, his way of looking at things.
smow: Then we conclude this interview with Jasper Morrison and his philosophy of functional elegance—a designer you should definitely discover or rediscover. Thanks for the interview, Erwan, here at 3daysofdesign.
Erwan Bouroullec: It was a pleasure. Thank you very much.
And what else did the smow team expereince at 3daysofdesign 2025? The smow Highlights
