From mobility to interior architecture, from the cockpit of a car to the armchair one keeps for a lifetime, Tristan Auer designs for the body before he designs for the eye. His vision of luxury is quiet, almost philosophical: bespoke work, longevity, the patina of time, the right gesture.
A luxury meant to be lived with, felt, and passed on.
On the occasion of his collaboration with Maison Pierre Frey and the creation of the TALLY and LODJIA lines, he reflects on his approach to design, his relationship to materials, to cinema, to artisans, and to one essential idea: creating less, but better.
A conversation with a designer who prefers to step back and let objects speak for themselves.
I don’t claim any single, personal style. Every project is a journey shaped by the client, the context, and how it will be used. I’m not interested in repeating an aesthetic; I want to remain open, curious, and free. That deliberate absence of a signature is precisely what makes me happy.
I design first and foremost for the human being, for intimacy. I work like a tailor: responding to morphology, use, and emotion. Aesthetics come after. What truly matters is sensation: touch, comfort, the physical relationship to an object.
I’ve been working with Pierre Frey for nearly 30 years. It’s a passionate, inventive house that has preserved and developed rare craftsmanship. When the opportunity to collaborate on furniture arose, it felt completely natural. It’s a shared commitment both human and creative.
A pillar. A house that makes ideas possible, tangible, and enduring. Without it, drawings would remain utopian. Constraints are essential. It’s by working within a strong DNA that the most accurate creations are born. I approached Pierre Frey as one would a person, trying to live up to its values.
They are calm, classical forms that reveal themselves gradually. They don’t seek to impress, but to last, to be lived with. Made in France, TALLY and LODJIA are designed to age beautifully and to be passed on. They have different personalities but share the same language. Their connection lies in the woodworking, the joinery, and the attention to detail.
Cinema, travel, and long stretches of time. The great transatlantic liners, spaces of contemplation and transition strongly informed both LODJIA and TALLY: seats made for stopping, talking, and savoring the moment. I imagined them in travel films and
ocean-liner stories, where time slows and elegance accompanies movement.
With listening and hand-drawing. Then comes the confrontation with reality: artisans, prototypes, adjustments. It’s a collective effort, sometimes involving six or eight hands, made possible by the closeness of the crafts.
A successful object is one you keep for a long time. Timeless forms, impeccable quality, lasting sensuality, an object that endures. As for the pieces I design, I like to think they can be recognized by their comfort. Design is judged first by the body. You don’t just look at it, you feel it.
The LODJIA armchair embodies the softness of a masterful gesture. Beneath its perfectly balanced curves, one can sense the exacting design and precision craftsmanship.
The TALLY chair and bridge celebrate the subtle balance between rigour and sensuality. The wood, worked with workshop precision, creates a discreet yet expressive architecture; a clean, graphic line that supports the seat like a gesture of support. The armrests of the bridge extend this intention, offering an open, welcoming, almost suspended line.
