Agathe Berjaut

‘I’m a French-born designer based in Oslo since 2003. Originally from Toulouse in the South of France, my roots lie in a small village where my family comes from in the Lot region. If I were to describe myself in five words: Whole (for good and bad), Creative, Dedicated, Organized (Virgo sign!), Adventurer (haven’t had one in a long time now, so there’s an itch…, and by adventure, I mean change).

The best thing about living in Norway is the fundamental values of life in Scandinavia. And proximity to the sea even if it’s not the Mediterranean… While I don’t miss France on a day-to-day basis, I do miss the Latin ways: the gatherings/food culture, the light, my family (in hard times – and I’ve had a few in recent years – you feel the distance that separates you even more), so yes, I definitely miss my people!

My family. I’ve been with Martin, my Norwegian Man, for almost 20 years. He’s a loving, stubborn, funny, worried, kind, talented guy and dad that is worth sticking together with. We have the great privilege and responsibility of raising our two daughters together, Lou, 13, the typhoon teen, fun, alive and caring, and Adèle, 9, the meticulous artist, curious, graceful and with a colorful inner world.

My work. I’ve been fortunate to work for the Norwegian fashion brand Cathrine Hammel for the past ten years. I started out assisting Cathrine in designing the collection, continuing until two years ago when I found myself at a dead end. Today I work with the brand identity, creating visual content for our digital platforms.

My home. Is an eclectic mix of travel memories, furniture – inherited or handmade by my man, and color! Every piece that comes into our home has great sentimental value. They are connected to the family, memories and craftmanship. In our home, we honor the handcrafted. I have so many favorite objects in my home, but in the end, what’s most valuable are the letters, photos and diaries retracing the lives of your loved ones.

My favorite place? Impossible to say! Travel – near or far – is my respite, where I recharge – so probably the best answer is “The Unknown!” As I mentioned before, I love adventure. One particular journey marks a milestone for me. I backpacked in South America for a year in 1997 with a very good friend. We planned to discover the continent but became more and more focused on drawing and keeping travel diaries. It was an educational journey in many ways; we drew for several hours a day but still were in unknown territory without the social links of today. I had to call my parents once a week via collect call. I even found a phone booth in the jungle of Palenque near Guatemala. Traveling as a lifestyle!

Visually capturing everyday moods and intonations has been a part of my life for a very long time. Drawing is my language; being an only child until the age of seven, I discovered it very early as I had to make up stories to entertain myself. I still do this today, and in this fast-paced world, it’s a way for me to slow down and process all the visual stimuli we receive. While others write their diaries, I draw my journal instead. I express a visual story by using a mix of techniques and sequences of pictures. It’s my wellkept secret garden that I cultivate, alongside my job and our life legacy to my children.

Summer is my happy place! Sea, sun and almost nothing on! Funny enough, I ended up far north. I dream about owning a tiny and humble white house hanging onto a Mediterranean rock overlooking the sea. There, I could draw day after day in an atelier alfresco, with a terrace big enough for a large table surrounded by happy friends. Dinner with friends became so different once we had children. We go for easy and convivial: big platters of cheese and cured hams, good bread, salad, and wine. My signature dessert is tarte Tatin.

If I could, I would move to Copenhagen for a year. I absolutely fell in love with the laid back yet refined flair of that city.

Right now, I’m back at school, taking night courses in analog photography. I love losing the perspective of time in the darkroom and the beauty of being patient, observing what’s really happening around, waiting for the special moment to press the shutter and not knowing if you captured what you really saw.

The last book I read was ‘Circé’ by Madeline Miller.

Thanks for the visit, Agathe!