Rémi Tessier
“Challenge is what is interesting in life. If you have no challenge in your life, you die." - Rémi Tessier
From his design work on private planes and luxury yachts, to the countless ambitious and expansive projects he’s completed for hoteliers, restaurateurs and private individuals around the world, Rémi Tessier’s desire for a challenge has rarely – if ever – gone unfulfilled.
A visionary designer whose elegantly understated work is defined by a keen eye for exquisite detail, Tessier designed the new Penthouse space at our sister hotel, Claridge’s in 2023 – and this year, The Emory is the latest name to join his ever-growing list of delighted collaborators.
His largest public project to date, Tessier has turned his restless imagination towards our communal spaces, four-storey spa, and rooftop lounge – and reunited with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to design our ground floor bar and restaurant, abc kitchens.
Rémi Tessier
“Challenge is what is interesting in life. If you have no challenge in your life, you die." - Rémi Tessier
From his design work on private planes and luxury yachts, to the countless ambitious and expansive projects he’s completed for hoteliers, restaurateurs and private individuals around the world, Rémi Tessier’s desire for a challenge has rarely – if ever – gone unfulfilled.
A visionary designer whose elegantly understated work is defined by a keen eye for exquisite detail, Tessier designed the new Penthouse space at our sister hotel, Claridge’s in 2023 – and this year, The Emory is the latest name to join his ever-growing list of delighted collaborators.
His largest public project to date, Tessier has turned his restless imagination towards our communal spaces, four-storey spa, and rooftop lounge – and reunited with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to design our ground floor bar and restaurant, abc kitchens.
A self-taught designer who founded his Paris studio in 1988, Tessier’s career began on a path somewhat less-travelled: as a cabinetmaker.
But it was while learning his earliest artisanal skills, under the guidance of “Les Compagnons du Devoir”, that his passion for materiality, exceptional craftsmanship and interior design began.
“Historically, cabinet makers worked for Kings and nobles. The high hand artisanal, which is my area, has always been driven by the top,” says Tessier.
“I'm really an artisan, I like to design something unique. I like handmade things. I'm excited to do incredible things at the highest quality level with the top craftsmen…[because] something done by hand is a different thing to something done by machine.”
That commitment to tactility and artisanal details is visible through his work at The Emory – which perfectly balances Tessier’s personal approach with the specific needs of the spaces.
“I don't want to have 'a style', I want to have style. I like to design the dream of my clients; I don't want to design my own dream,” says Tessier.
“I like purity and consistency, which you can translate through classic, contemporary or minimal. You have to travel over these [ideas], but when you do a design it's also important to bring your soul into it. That is my main goal.”
Designed to bring a complementary sense of organic materiality to Lord Richard Rogers and Ivan Harbour’s contemporary architectural vision for The Emory, Tessier’s exceptional work is beautifully empathetic to its surroundings.
In abc kitchens, for example, wood tones and Rosso Orobico marble add warmth, while a snaking couch dissects the space, creating a striking yet comfortable statement feature.
An amber glass ‘wine cave’ throws a lantern-like light, and a metallic curtain completely envelops the restaurant to create a comfortable, welcoming environment for diners – one which perfectly reflects chef Jean-Georges’ own approach to food. The bar’s bespoke kaleidoscopic canopy adds a stunning iridescent effect to the space, too.
The same is true in our rooftop bar and cigar lounge, where Tessier’s designs marry burl wood (a subtle nod to the construction of traditional cigar boxes) and halo lighting to create an intimate, convivial feeling that serves as a pleasing counterpoint to the sweeping panoramic London views in the space.
And in our spa, Tessier’s serenely minimalist designs forefront natural light, while onyx vanity tops, terrazzo flooring, Tessier-designed baccarat fittings, warm terracotta colour tones, cedar wood and traditional rattan animate each space, and create a sense of privacy, while still evoking a connection to the natural world outside.
Coherent yet distinct, Tessier’s spirit of creativity is inherent in each space, and true craftsmanship is always evident.
“Trying to reach perfection is a very interesting idea, because for humans, it is a very good thing to try to reach this goal of doing things better, rather than doing something commercial,” says Tessier.
“[But] you have to put some spirit into it. So at the end, you feel it's an emotional interior, not something perfect and cold."
