Noémie Chaillet-Piquand, who works under the name NOCHAPIQ, has created a signature wrapping everyday precious and ordinary objects with her favourite material: the bolduc ribbons produced by luxury fashion houses.
At age 17 working in the press office of storied luxury house Hermès, she transformed the company’s press gifts into collector’s items and later designed the company’s first sneaker. After spending time learning how to work with leather at Les Ateliers Grégoire (formerly École Grégoire Ferrandi), she returned to Hermès and was in charge of developing new materials and fashion accessories.
NOCHAPIQ’s personal creations started in 2007, with furniture. Her raw materials were made up of clothing from major fashion houses, pieces of string, elastics, headphone cables etc. NOCHAPIQ’s creations are an allegory of a dream society, where everything would exist in harmony, while maintaining each individual’s own singularity.
“WHEN I THINK ABOUT A TOOTHPASTE,
IT’S A CROSSOVER BETWEEN LUXURY AND EVERYDAY LIFE.”
In 2017, she first experimented with boldruc ribbons. She chose the material because they cannot be purchased, hence it symbolizes supreme luxury. In 2018, this neologism became a key theme for NOCHAPIQ.
“IS A FORK WRAPPED WITH SAINT LAURENT RIBBON WORTH THE SAME AS ONE WITH GUCCI OR CHANEL?
DOES THE VALUE OF AN OBJECT COME FROM HOW IT’S PACKAGED? ”
In addition to items found in everyday life, NOCHAPIQ began wrapping objects that are considered of high symbolic value such as a horseshoe, a crucifix, dollars, or a pistol. She also occasionally replaces her signature bolduc with caution tape reinterpreted by brands such as Supreme.
“WITH MY WORK REPRESENTING MY BODY AND MIND, WRAPPING BOTH PACKAGING AND ITS CONTENTS, WHAT’S VISIBLE BECOMES INVISIBLE AND VICE VERSA.”