Les Billets-Doux: Love notes for Valentines Day
Back‘Les Billets-Doux’, the literal translation is “sweet note” is the French for love letters”, a set of twelve hand drawn notecards. Each card features a different illustration along with well-known French phrase synonymous with love such as “Coup de Foudre”, “Je Ne Regrette Rien”or “Cinq à Sept”. The hand-drawn female figures dance and spin across the page existing in feminine dreamlike world.
Drawn by Bristol based artist Eleanor Hardiman, ‘Les Billets-Doux’ will be available to buy from the Luke Irwin website and selected partners, Alex Eagle Studio, Tart London and Le Pigalle Paris, in the run up to Valentine’s Day and are priced at £25 per set (12 cards).
Luke Irwin comments, “Of all the languages, French, which is so rigid in so many ways, has created the iconic vocabulary of love. The ‘Les Billets-Doux’ collection is inspired by the notion of the love letter. Be it from a soldier to his sweetheart from the trenches of the First World War, or the scribbled letters written on A4 paper in biro between John Lennon & Yoko Ono, or even the sketches that Picasso made as love notes for the women who inspired his art. Writing a love letter is a dying art. Though Valentine’s Day is to be celebrated, I wanted to explore the notion of writing a note to your friends, your beloved or even your family, to tell them that you are thinking of them. The ‘Les Billets-Doux’ are phrases for love in all its forms.”
This collaboration and partnership comes under the new ‘Luke Irwin: Everything But’ umbrella where Luke explores other avenues of design and collaborates with artists in new fields. All of which include a strong narrative element which has become his unique calling card.
Other collaborations include ‘By Design’ talk series in partnership with the Sir John Soane’s Museum featuring the BBC’s Art Editor Will Gompetz in conversation with internationally renowned designers such as Es Devlin, Sir David Adjaye and Edmund du Waal. And also the launch of ‘The Seat of Power’ in association with master cabinet makers Little Halstock a commentary and vehicle for conversation examining the changing nature of power.
> To buy Les Billet-Doux click here
> To stock Les Billets-Doux email shop@lukeirwin.com
> To request imagery and info from press team email lukeirwin@scottideas.com
Images by @kelliefrenchstudio www.kelliefrench.com
