The window displays of Michaud Bijouterie and Haute Horologie have been delighting the people of Neuchâtel season after season as the décor changes to highlight the myriad of timepieces available inside the boutique. The different themes are created by Mélanie Raetz Poglia from Ideel Lab, who has been working with Michaud for over a decade now. We caught up with her to discover more about her art and her love for working with Michaud.
What do you like about working with Michaud
This is the last window design project that I have kept. I have a design background in luxury and now I am doing architecture so it is quite the mix. Before I did a lot of windows, but I just kept this one as Michaud in Neuchâtel are the only ones that really invest in their window displays, both from an emotional and commercial point of view. For them, it is really part of their brand image, and for me, it is extremely interesting as they give me the freedom to create. They trust me and I can propose all sorts of ideas. There aren’t any guidelines, so it is very interesting. They are also a great team to work with and when they trust someone, they are very loyal, which is the way I like to work too.
Are there any particular designs that stand out in your mind?
Of course, one time we took over 300 little plastic bottles of soya sauce, you know the ones that are shaped like a fish that come with sushi, we emptied them and filled them with an orange-coloured liquid and suspended them so they were like a shoal of fish in the window. That was really fun to do. We also filled the window with sand, which was fun, and sugar. We also did one with 600 yellow lemon juice bottles. These are the windows that I remember the most.
What do you have planned for the end of the year?
We are still in the planning stage, so nothing is set in stone yet, but a few years ago we did an advent calendar scene with 24 little wooden houses with timepieces or jewellery inside. Each day, they would open a house. The idea this year is to transform these houses and create a tiny magical world with antique objects. I have found little model families in lead and in wood to create this fantasy world. One of my specialties is creating miniature worlds and it lends itself perfectly to presenting watches and jewellery as the height is just right.
Your passion shines through when you talk, it sounds like you really enjoy this project.
I love doing crafts and building things. This is the last project I have where I can make everything myself and I love getting creative. This is why I haven’t stopped as here I have the opportunity to create everything from A to Z. It really is a lot of fun.
