Walpole: Tell us about the history of your brand?
Jacky Przedborski: The Imprimerie du Marais was founded by my father Charles Przedborski in 1971 in the heart of Paris and has been run by our family since 1995. The son of a family of Polish tailors, my father has always lived in a world where man and machine are inextricable companions in daily life. Driven by a deep-seated curiosity, fuelled by a passion for reading, he turned to printing as an extension of his studies at the École Estienne, the school of print craftsmanship and the art of the book. The industry seemed noble to him and, with the opening of Imprimerie du Marais, he found a way to make his mark.
Until I joined the company in 1995, the typographic workshop produced stationery for Parisian ready-to-wear brands. Then, fresh out of school and inspired by the cultural momentum of the 1990s, I threw myself into the adventure with some big projects. I incorporated cutting-edge technology into the rue Chapon workshop. As a result, we were able to print lithographs faster, exploit the potential of foiling and develop serigraphy to produce extravagant invitations for the explosive new 'super fashion' scene that was flourishing at the time, culminating in the immersive gift-led marketing that characterised the post-Covid period, in France and around the world.
Over the years, Imprimerie du Marais has grown and established itself as the partner of international luxury when it comes to high-end, bespoke printed creations and innovations. To keep pace with this development, the rue Chapon workshop has been transformed into a centre of expertise, recently relocated to Cité Griset, within a vast foundry building in eastern Paris redesigned by Atelier Saint Lazare. Today, eight crafts are brought together under the same roof: Photoengraving-Prepress, Prototyping-Packaging Development & Production, Foiling-Embossing-Debossing, Screen Printing, Litho Printing, Handmade Finishing, and Bookbinding.
In this large workshop, imagination and creativity can flourish and our sales teams remain in close contact with our craftsmen and prototype makers, whether they are based in Paris, London, New York or Geneva. From the concept meetings to material selections to prototyping stages to project delivery, it is our greatest skill to work hand in hand with our customers to help them make the impossible possible, between tradition and innovation.
What is your brand best known for?
The imprimerie's reputation has been built on its spirit of vanguardism and innovation, reflected in our slogan 'The Art of the Possible'. Put simply, we are able to create unique brand expressions that have you wondering, "how did they do it?".
That's one of the reasons why, for over 30 years, we've been entrusted with some of the most demanding commissions from leading fashion houses, luxury brands and a wide range of creative institutions. Working closely with our clients to bring their projects to life, we enjoy sharing our longstanding knowledge of materials, techniques and formats, as well as our established relationships with paper mills. The desire to explore all possibilities is at the heart of our approach, particularly when it comes to sustainable development.
The constant attention we pay to the management of our resources and the treatment of our waste is of great importance to us and is recognised by our FSC and Imprim'vert certifications. Our commitment does not stop at what we consider to be the 'bare minimum'. Since 2017, we have been developing a long-term policy of sourcing eco-conceived, sustainable and unique papers and printing techniques. One of the cornerstones of this approach is the meticulous selection of papers and materials, each more extraordinary than the last, chosen for their singular environment-friendly, innovative and aesthetic characteristics. Our advanced research in the enrichment of this collection, which now counts more than 200 references, makes us rare advisors in the field of eco-conceived and sustainable printing.
What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline?
The opening of Imprimerie du Marais Ltd. in London in 2006 was a key stage in our development over the last ten years. Passionate about graphic design, we have always been inspired by the creativity of British branding and design studios. The expertise and boldness of our paper partners based across the Channel has always inspired us too, whether we're thinking of the surprising creations of G. F Smith, the innovative developments of James Cropper or the living heritage of a company like Smythson.
Armed with this local knowledge, we were certain that our positioning would be well received within the UK luxury creative industry and guessed that it would be our gateway to the world. Our local and international successes have confirmed this, and today we are delighted and proud to have printed for so many of Britain's leading luxury brands, from The Macallan to the Royal Family, from Stella McCartney to Farfetch.
Why do you love the brand?
Through Imprimerie du Marais, it's our family passion and the skills deployed within an extended family of craftsmen and women that today resonate with many customers around the world. I'm very proud to see that our boldness is contagious and that our 'Art of the Possible' is crossing more and more borders, be they geographical, craft or creative. Tradition and innovation, sharing and passing on, are the rhythms of our days, which, while they may follow one another, are never the same. I love the constant stimulation provided by the continuous variation in the types of made-to-measure projects that make up our daily routine and our reputation. Although we respond to extremely diverse requests, I have to admit that I love it most of all when the "Eureka!" effect occurs: when we find the innovative and creative solution that will enhance a project with the most complex and demanding design.
Why does your brand represent the very best in British luxury?
The world of printing tends to be divided into two categories: workshops that are focused on the craft and workshops that are focused on the innovation. Given this reality, we knew that our dual positioning as enthusiasts of craft and experimentation was unique, particularly in France where we have a greater tendency to compartmentalise. So when we decided to overhaul our brand image, we were convinced that we would benefit from working with a British studio that would understand the holistic vision we have of our business.
When we showed our savoir-faire and our creations to the teams at Made Thought agency – which we chose to support the redesign our brand identity in 2014 – they confirmed this feeling. They highlighted this rarity in the printing sector: combining an absolute fascination with craftsmanship with the entrepreneurial mentality. In this respect, working with Made Thought on our brand image has been truly liberating and has allowed us to build on what was truly extraordinary about our positioning and therefore our achievements.
Ben Parker and his team wanted to extract and sublimate this authenticity by telling the stories that underpin our company and relating to the heritage that we perpetuate, promote and constantly renew. Pushing back the boundaries of printing and elevating it to the level of a work of art: this is the essence of the 'Art of the Possible'. In this, it seems to us that a strong British accent runs through the veins of the luxurious productions we make at Imprimerie du Marais.
What attracted you to becoming a Walpole member?
We have always considered Walpole to be the temple and incubator of British luxury, where heritage and innovation are carefully nurtured. Because we see ourselves in this dual position, we were enthusiastic at the idea of having the opportunity to take part in such an emulation while at the same time promoting our presence in the UK.
Our London office has been the spearhead of our international expansion in recent years, and we're confident that joining Walpole will enable us to build on this success by continuing to produce the printed designs that express the beauty and sophistication of British luxury at home and abroad.
If you could collaborate with another Walpole member, which one would you choose (and what would you like to do)?
We have been very fortunate to collaborate with a number of Walpole members since our arrival in London. However, there are many we haven’t worked with yet and to whom we can't wait to dedicate our savoir-faire – so, it's pretty difficult to name just one. That said, as we love craftsmanship, art, design, technology, aesthetics, performance and speed more than anything, the team and I would love to collaborate with Aston Martin.
Tell us about an exciting development or new launch for your brand in the coming months?
The last quarter of 2023 will be a busy one. We'll start by presenting our latest innovations in sustainable packaging at Luxe Pack Monaco. In November, we'll be hosting a special exhibition at our Paris headquarters in collaboration with Studio Saison and in partnership with Fedrigoni France, focusing on the metamorphosis of photographs through the use of our ennobling print techniques. The transition from 2023 to 2024 will mark the launch of our brand-new website, designed in collaboration with ABM studio (Paris) as a multi-faceted, cross-disciplinary source of inspiration, better adapted to our positioning and web surfing. The new year will also be marked by the launch of our third Notebook collection, an invitation to a journey through time and space developed with the international design studios Hey Studio (Barcelona), Fabio Ongarato Design (Melbourne), Page Tsou (Taipei), Kazunari Hattori (Japan), Lotta Nieminen (New York), Eike König (Berlin), Zak Group / Radim Pesko (London) and H5 (Paris). We can't wait to inspire you.
