Andres Alsina: The Legend Of Paris

Andres Alsina has been honoured this year with the ‘Universal Excellence Award by price Nobel Rene Cassin for his career. A journalist who eventually found his way and his career as an interior designer. We had the honour to interview Andres Alsina and find out what makes him tick.

Okay, lay it on us, 3 songs your morning playlist must contain.

How I need to jump out of bed, the ideal is music with lots of synthesisers or very funky. To listen to the supreme songbird Mariah early in the morning..nobody gets me up , I take the day off. The VOICE I leave it for later in the day . The morning must be an adrenalin rush , something like There Must be an Angel of Eurythmics, Donna Summer’s I Feel Love or Jump from the Pointer Sisters.

Okay, now pleasantries: tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

I am a South American Interior Designer living in Paris for the past five years. I work for hotels and private projects bringing all sorts of aesthetics solutions. Now a days I spent my days between the production of an iconic collection of furniture that have marked my trajectory and doing the layout of the Premium Edition of my book 6 rue, de las Nouvelle Elegance.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Everything pointed out that I would be a lawyer, but the studies of journalism that I did in France boosted my humanistic skills. I always wanted to be a writer . Interior Design came later on in my life, at my 30’s, when I realised that the profits of the sale in a sofa was three times more than what I earned for an interview. I would have loved to be an actor but my sense of self-criticism would have paralysed me before the cameras.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? and the worst?

The best is paraphrased in my latest book: “In a world full of set-designers and Interior Architects, Andres Alsina is the last decorator “ coming from an icon of the fashion world and taste like Ines de la Fressange, it is hard to overcome that.

The worst was when they told me that my work was a front, that I was really an international escort. That being false and absurd. There are sensible stomachs for sleeping with people and mine.

What is your favourite creative outlet to get the juices flowing?

Living in the most beautiful city of the planet any 500 vmts walk from my home is a trip. To walk through the Tuileries, have tea at The Ritz of the Place Vendôme, go inside the foyer of the Opera, to sit by the gardens of the Palais Royal while my food is being made two stores from me. So few people in the world have that privilege … and gather with my friends in the Cafe de L’Epoque , in the Rue Bouloi is a must

Jump in the Tardis and fast forward 5 years – where are you and what are you up to?

I arrived in this country 5 years ago. I lived a year in Versailles in the furniture depository of Louis XVI , it was an extraordinary experience. Now a days I spent my time traveling through Europe giving my consultancies in London, Amsterdam, Milano, Madrid , Barcelona etc.

What’s one thing other people may not know about you?

It is hard for people to understand that I am a writer. I am stuck as a decorator and in this visual universe that takes the lead. Only a few are interested in reading me. Nevertheless it is more feasible that you can see me walking on my way to the Mazarine Library where I study and write than walking around through the decoration circuits that bore me to death.

What resource would help you in your work that you don’t have right now? That one thing that would save so much time and stress.

A very competent team of at least 5 people and 2 traveling around the world permanently seeking for projects.

Who or what are some of your influences? Are there any peers or creatives that you admire or draw inspiration from?

Madeleine Castaing, David Hicks and Dorothy Draper. They invented it all in decoration, even before the word decoration existed. Nobody overcomes them because decoration as such has its days counted. The true one, the good one can’t be found anymore

You can only follow 5 people and 5 brands on your social media forever on, who are they?

Susanna Salk from Quintessence, the only platform for truly good taste. Liam O Neill , the son of my beloved Faye Dunaway Cecilia Zuberbuhler, an argentinian fashion doyenne and journalist Ingrid Betancourt, a personal friend of mine; A free woman in all the extension of the word. And of course my niece, my daughter Amalia Ducci As for brands, @charlesburger @judithgabarroluxuryadvisor @maisonrapin @ritzparis and @royalluxuryinterior