Designer Recommended: French Craftsman Steven Leprizé’s Favorite Creative Tools and Gear
Here, French craftsman Steven Leprizé shares his favorite products. Images courtesy of Leprizé. Design by Julianna Collares.
What can you make with wood? For French craftsman Steven Leprizé, it’s more like what can’t you make with wood? From designer furniture and motorbikes to the interiors of cars and luxury hotels, Leprizé has truly tested the limits. And there are none. He’s literally defied gravity and blown it up. (It looks like what you might imagine if an object were able to break the fourth wall.)
It is no wonder that his brain works like this. Leprizé grew up in a carpenter and mechanics family in France, surrounded by craftsmanship and inspired by surrealism. In 2009 he founded ARCA, a renowned furniture workshop, where he brings all his spectacular visions to life through collaborations with companies including Cartier, Hermés (see the wooden bag below), and Renault.
Leprizé has an eye for the spectacular, so naturally, we asked him what tools he feels passionate about. Here, he shares 10 of his favorite products, tools, and creative gear, from a 19th century sawmill he uses in his line of work, to his philosophy on why a lighter is so brilliant, to the kicks on his feet.
1. The Products I Use the Most in My Creative Life
Paper and pen are the best tools for developing creative subjects, through words and drawings. I force my collaborators and students to draw with a pen becauuse not being able to erase your work trains you to have the right gesture the first time (with practice).
Leprizé uses unexpected tools to deliver extraordinary works.
2. The Most Unexpected Tool I Use in My Line of Work
This is what he’s talking about; doesn’t look at a day over 144 years old.
A sawmill dating from 1880 restored by my father when I was 5, and the next day a plasma torch like in the SOS Ghostbuster movies.
3. Products Outside My Work Life That I Obsess Over
The Wood Eagle motorbike that Leprizé made by hand and goes up to 120 miles per hour. (above and below)
I was born in an agricultural machinery museum, and my father had lots of tractors, tools, cars, and motorcycles. Since the age of 10, I’ve driven many motor vehicles, but I prefer motorcycles for the feelings of freedom, risk and speed. With my father, we modified the engine of my motorcycles to make them faster. When I was a teenager, I saw the MTV series on custom motorcycle preparation and was fascinated by the guys who took sheets of metal to carve gas tanks. One day, I wanted to combine my two passions by creating an inlay on a motorcycle made of wood and my other innovative woods. Designed with one of my best friends, inspired by biology and science fiction, and produced with my superb team. I’m a child of the ’80s, you know...
Price: On Demand.
4. Best Product Ever (for under $20):
Image: Alexandre Echasseriau.
A fire starter, so you can start all over again on the next planet, only better.
Purchase it now: $12.50.
5. Favorite Gift to Give to My Creative Friends
Leprizé is also a teacher at the Boulle school. Looks like they have fun in class.
A calliper to teach rigour, and a whoopee cushion so you don’t forget to have fun.
Purchase it now: ~$30.
6. My Favorite App on My Phone That Says A Lot About Me
Shazam, for working with music and discovering new songs. I work with music all the time and I’ve been making music for quite a few years. My brother was also a DJ, and we used to spend a lot of time looking for vinyl at flea markets. My wife is also a big music lover and we love to share our discoveries.
7. My Last (Product) Splurge:
What happens when Nike x Khaki meet.
Simple Nike Air Forces, whose khaki colour was chosen by my wife.
Purchase it now: $115.
8. The Top Item on My Dream Shopping List
A sketch of WooWood, the blown-up wood that defies gravity. May it be on your dream shopping list.
Plasma fire torch and 3D scanner. Once again, as a lover of science fiction films, technology, and art, this type of tool is becoming accessible and relevant to my uses, which amuses me greatly.
9. The Product That I Need For My Creative Work That Doesn’t Yet Exist
120 meters of wooden ribbon — the perfect overhead structure.
A machine to slow down or speed up time, so that we have more time to create and to speed up people's understanding of our innovative work, which is certainly ahead of its time (see wooden ribbon above) and not always easy to sell because it is new.
10. Favorite Work of Art That I Own or Want to Own
M.C. Escher at work. Image: Pinterest.
I like intelligent, well-designed works that are out of the ordinary, unpublished, and play with illusion or surrealism, like Escher’s drawings, but I don’t have the financial means. I also love beautiful, functional, and exceptional objects — it’s my job and my experience to dream them up and then make them. That’s the definition of an art craftsman for me. I dreamt of building myself an extraordinary motorbike with my wood innovations, and now I’ve done it!
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