How did your collaboration with Habitat come about?

It all began when I met Pierre Favresse, Habitat's creative director. This was back in 2008, at the time of Foodlab when we were working on culinary design among other things! Pierre attended the École Boulle and when two people meet who understand the importance of gesture-based design - well, how could we not get on? He asked me to get involved in the brand's 50th Anniversary Collection and I accepted straight away because I knew that between us we'd get it right. 

How did you work together?

Pierre Favresse spent a week in the kitchen with me studying my gestures, how I used objects, the rituals - even how I tied my apron! Everything involved in the process in terms of posture and the actual equipment. Everything he needed to inspire him to move on to the construction phase of the collection. 

What were the initial development phases?
 

A focus on the basics in terms of gestures because above all, a good cook is someone who has mastered knife skills, cooking and timing. In a way, recipes are purely in the realm of fantasy if you haven't mastered these basic skills. Designing a collection for Habitat also means working within a budget. So, we decided to launch a small collection with high added value and concentrate on value for money to ensure that the products were accessible. In short, beautiful pieces to collect! This is my view and Habitat's too!

Vidéo - Thierry Marx's kitchen utensils for Habitat

What was your priority?

Aspiration and utility. This translates into beautiful objects made from noble materials: steel, wood, marble, glass, etc. The collection is in no way ostentatious and it should be seen as a serious and essential set of equipment for any self-respecting cook: knives that are effective for meat, fish and vegetables and a really stable chopping board crafted from beautiful wood so it can be seen and enjoyed in the kitchen, a cast iron wok designed for cooking, a marble pestle that does not damage the product, and accessories made from glass and wood that are both simple and efficient.  

Habitat is back at the forefront of design; were you aware that you were participating in this renaissance? Do you have any other projects on the horizon?
 

Well, I love being involved with these types of projects especially when it involves French brands! I think it's really important that the image of French products is properly recognised and valued. And I must confess that being involved in Habitat's new adventure has increased my pride in this. We share the same philosophy - taking quality to new heights! So no, we're not going to stop here. We are also planning a baking range, a 'budget-friendly' range and a range for those learning how to cook.