Together with his partner Nathalie, Bastien worked in the construction of sets and scenographic designs. “We built huge sets using large quantities of materials for very ephemeral things,” he recalls. “We could end up assembling a fake apartment set with an internal mezzanine for 15,000 euros worth of wood, for a week of shooting, only to then dismantle it and throw it in the trash.”
Faced with this disheartening reality, the partners began to create connections between their various activities in set construction, interior design, and video clips. They made it a point to use the same materials to reuse them across multiple shoots. They then went further by working on sourcing and managing the end-of-life of what they had created. “The idea is to try to align as closely as possible with the most perfect approach to the life cycle of an object, in this case, furniture.”
Gimmic Design also develops renovation services to extend the lifespan of sold furniture, as well as a return system that allows them to take back furniture at the end of its life for in-house refurbishment. The company also offers furniture leasing options.
The company mainly focuses on furnishing for businesses: work benches, sofas, armchairs, coffee tables, meeting tables, as well as custom pieces like reception desks or partition furniture.
