Interview with Mathilde Cabanas: Spreading Joy with Colorful Creations

Famous for her iconic "bisou" motif, Mathilde has partnered with us to create a series of three fun and colorful bottles, perfectly capturing her playful spirit, now available in her shop. Dive into the world of Mathilde and discover the charm of her creative vision, where every item is a celebration of joy and color.

Could you introduce yourself and your project Mathilde Cabanas? Tell us a bit more about your background and how you ended up creating this brand.

My name is Mathilde and I'm the founder of the brand of the same name. I grew up in Nantes, in a very creative family. My father is a watercolour painter and my mother has always been into DIY, making mosaics and being passionate about the universe of circus.

I studied graphic art in Paris and then started working in a concept store before founding my own brand 10 years ago. I started out as an illustrator, then moved into the production and sale of stationery items, such as cards, posters and birthday invitations. Then I moved on to other items such as umbrellas, pins, T-shirts and doormats.

Can you tell me more about your brand identity : colorful, fun, pop! How did you ended up creating a brand like that?

I think it's quite innate, it came naturally. Life can be so grey sometimes, and I've made it my mission to brighten it up. I like to draw flowers, suns and kisses to make life sweeter.

I often say that I create everyday objects that make you smile. My passion is revisiting boring everyday objects and making them happy.

Where does the inspiration for your project come from?

Lots of little everyday moments. It could be a packaging at the market, a print on a piece of clothing, a vintage tablecloth, even sometimes a word or an object. I always take notes as soon as I have an idea, whether it's for content creation or design. As soon as I sit down to create, I come back to my notes.

Is there a special story behind the word/concept Bisou? Where does it comes from?

Originally, it was just a little word with a heart underneath. At the beginning I only made greetings cards and after "happy birthday", "thank you", "congratulations", "happy new year"... I was looking for a little word that could be given all year round, for any occasion. Bisou is sweet, it's 2 syllables and it appeals to everyone. The design was so simple and powerful that I used it on other products and it was a commercial success every time. It's become my trademark and I'm really proud of it. I also love developing other designs, but sometimes it's obvious to come back to the Bisou and put it on certain products.

Can you tell us more about your audience of cool moms & dads? How do you think you attracted them?

I don't know, maybe because I'm a cool mom myself (haha). I think there's something quite naive but not cheesy about all the designs, which I really like and which you can't find everywhere. It's probably also due to the fact that I'm still a child and I don't like to take myself too seriously.

You've got a real loyal fan base. How did you manage to create such a strong bond with this community of parents? What is your secret recipe?

I think it's very important to embody your brand. These days I often talk to my community in a fairly spontaneous and natural way. I show them what I do on a daily basis, how I use the products, and sometimes I talk about my days as a company director. I love communicating and I'm always the one posting on social networks. I think you can feel it and it's important for people to know that there's a real person behind the brand who puts all their heart and soul into developing products that will bring a little joy into their day.

Do you have a personal favorite within your whole collection of objects? If you could pick one, which one would it be?

I love all my products but if I had to choose just one it would be the umbrella! I love them all, they're super colourful and make you love rainy days.

Conclusion

We’re very happy to have collaborated with Mathilde Cabanas, whose joyful designs bring smiles to kids and parents alike. Cheers to Mathilde for making everyday moments a little brighter and more fun! Find the 3 colorful bottles we crafted for her on her website.