If you enter le typographe Brussels or Nantes, you will find high-end stationery with impeccable finishing, carefully selected objects, and an eclectic team of enthusiasts guided by a common vocation: craftsmanship and beautiful products. Each brings their experience, sensitivity, know-how and interpersonal skills, thus contributing to writing the unique history of le typographe.
Who are the artisans of le typographe?
Arriving in front of le typographe, you are first surprised and seduced by its window. It reveals a harmony of colors and carefully arranged creations, which irresistibly make you want to push the door to explore this universe dedicated to paper. Once in the shop, you enter a sensory world made of colors, smells and materials.
The stores in Brussels and Nantes
As you wander among the piles of notebooks, walls of postcards and stationery items, you will probably come across Roberta, Margot and Côme if you are in Brussels, and Nathalie, if you are in Nantes. They have one foot in the shop, where they dedicate themselves to welcoming, advising customers and organising the shelves, and one foot in the workshop where they regularly participate in the finishing of the products and their packaging.
In the workshop
If you could enter the workshop and visit the backstage of le typographe in Brussels, you would meet Cédric, founder and creative soul of each product, Nathalie, manager of the workshop, and Aude, operator of the typographic printing presses. These old machines give le typographe its specificity and added value. Indeed, each product of le typographe is printed with the typography technique, which has become very rare today. You will also meet Marguerite on the finishing touches, Stéphanie, administrator of le typographe, who also participates in the work of the workshop, and Jean, former typographer, Michelle and Graziella, active retirees, whose mission is to package the products and… chat!
A multitasking team
At le typographe, no one is fixed in their functions. The team members are multitaskers. This is what they love and what keeps their passion alive on a daily basis. Not limiting yourself to a single mission allows you to broaden your field of vision and put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
What we like to do at le typographe in Brussels and Nantes
Manufacturing
What we love to do at le typographe is first and foremost to manufacture. Aude speaks with love of the feeling of the paper in her hands, the regular music of the typographic presses and the subtle scent of the inks. Her precision and attention to detail make each creation a unique product. Conductor of this well-regulated score, Nathalie loves above all to plan the days so that the creative effervescence that reigns in these places always remains fluid.
Doing ritual tasks
Once the products come off the presses, they have to be cut, assembled, glued… While le typographes’ artisans really appreciate being able to change missions, some have a predilection for these ritual and meticulous tasks, which become almost meditative. This is the case for Roberta, who considers packaging or gluing as moments of sharing in a team in calm and concentration. “It’s quite rare to find opportunities in our lives to be able to be in the present moment while letting our minds wander, without being polluted by the parasitic thoughts of everyday life,” she explains. Margot finds in the repetition of precise, fast and efficient gestures, a very powerful feeling of satisfaction. “I really like the fact that we manage to make a large quantity of objects ourselves, of perfect quality, while ultimately being quite few in number.” This feeling is found and transmitted in the store when these enthusiasts talk about their products to customers.
Being surrounded by good people and beautiful things
At le typographe, what stands out above all for some members of the team is the friendly and warm atmosphere that reigns there, an ambiance made possible thanks to the energy and commitment of each one. This collective dynamic creates a pleasant workspace, where smiles and friendly exchanges are the order of the day. This is the case for Stéphanie, Nathalie and Marguerite who love “the vibrant atmosphere of the workshop and the beauty of the products they help to create“. Being able to touch and feel the paper is a source of daily joy for Roberta. Graziella highlights “the extraordinary colors of le typographe’s creations“. For Michelle too, it is “working with the team surrounded by such beautiful products“. Nathalie, manager of the Nantes boutique, loves above all in her work “the quality, the delicacy, as well as the fact that the products are generally not gendered“. Being surrounded by beautiful objects, whether elegant notebooks, quality papers or other stationery products, adds a touch of magic to everyday life and fuels the passion of those who work there.
Transmitting and exchanging
Côme particularly enjoys advising customers on the products prepared in the workshop. For him, each item is much more than a simple object: it is an encounter, a dialogue between the craftsman and the user. Transmitting her passion and exchanging with the shop’s customers is what Margot loves. She describes her position as “very privileged“. “Stationery triggers quite intimate and emotional conversations,” she confides. Paper refers to the world of school, childhood, sometimes nostalgia. At the turn of an aisle, it is not uncommon for a micro-conversation to start and trigger emotions.
The products we prefer at le typographe
This love of a job well done is felt in the quality of the products offered by le typographe. Each member of the team has their favorite product, often chosen for its beauty and functionality.
There are notepads addicts…
“If I had to choose just one product, it would be a mini notepad!” Aude – Letterpress Operator
“It’s hard to choose, but I would say the mega pad. It’s very well packaged. When you open it, you feel like you’re receiving a gift. I usually take a lot of notes and the pages come off easily.” Côme – In store and at the workshop
“For me, it would be the block with the ladybug. It’s great for leaving notes, making lists about everything and for everyone! The combination of colors and the presence of this little lucky insect puts me in a good mood in the morning.” Roberta – In the shop and at the workshop
“Without hesitation, an A5 pad with a grid, squares or lines to be able to make lots of lists!” Stéphanie – Administrator
“The 10.5*21 notepad. It’s perfect for making lists… I love making lists, even if I don’t do anything that’s written on them!” Graziella – in the workshop
There are also fans of notebooks…
“I would choose a drawing notebook. I know I would make very good use of it!” Margueritte – In the workshop
“My favorite product at le typographe: the notebook Garden! The care taken in selecting the papers, their texture and quality, is very specific. This product is a feat of printing.” Nathalie – Workshop Manager
…and those who love mini cards!
“The mini card! It’s the small, sensitive gesture, the very delicate little attention. If you leave a message for someone on a mini card, you’re sure to find it in a book or on the mantelpiece… It’s a touching object.” Nathalie – Manager of the le typographe boutique in Nantes
“Cédric’s mini cards with little animals! They are so cute with tenderness and simplicity. They are simply moving.” Michelle – In the workshop
And you, what is your favorite product of le typographe?
Conclusion
le typographe is a place where each product tells a unique story. The team’s commitment, skills, versatility and love of beautiful objects make this stationery much more than just a workshop; it is a living space, dedicated to creativity and quality. Whether by manufacturing, advising or sharing their know-how, the members of the typographe team embody the spirit of a profession that has become rare and precious.
So push open the door of our boutiques in Brussels and Nantes, come and meet our team and discover our products.
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