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| RendezvousFrance.com | |
Philippe
Starck |
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| Bon Restaurant | |
 Q.
You've recently moved back to Paris after several years in New York. Do
you think the city is hot, right now ? |
| A. Starck (via cell phone, while waiting for his little boy) The media world loves the idea of a hot city. There are cycles in the life of a city. Somes cities are always hot : London, New York, Tokyo, Paris. Then you have the second fiddles -Milan, L.A. The most remarkable cycle is the English one. It is the one with most contrast : London is way down and then it is way hot. New York is different. It is a continuing hum, a regular ondulation. |
 Q.
And Paris ? |
| A. Paris has an extraordinary potential, but it had been out of the cycle for some time because it had fallen asleep. It was dangerous because being hot is not only a media phenomenon. It generates business. It is a virtuous cycle : energy brings even more energy. |
Q. What makes a city hot ? |
| A. To be hot, a city needs to be conscious of it, to want it and also to recognize its duties. Also, one of the key ingredients is money. London has a lot of money, Hong Kong too. These cities can get cooler, but not completely disappear from the map. |
Q. What are Paris' strengths ? |
| A. Everyone, even the British agree, Paris has some powerful assets : a lot of great creators, industrial know how. Paris' potential is superior to New York's. One thing we need is more speed in the execution. Sometimes I feel that Paris needs to have more desire, more will to succeed. It is slightly suicidal. |
Q. Why ? |
| A. The French are too caustic. And over the years, it's become more negative. If I make honest, intelligent, innovative proposals in Italy, in Germany, in the USA, I will have an honest answer. In Paris, the reaction is ultra snob. Even extremely creative proposals will be turned down. Everything will be done to shoot it down. But if you survive, then you will be accepted for good. Who can invest in such a climate ? I hope people are going to change. |
Q. Why did you move to Paris, then ? |
| A. There is an extraordinary potential, right now but we have to reinvent the word "enthusiasm". If we are open to others we can be the kings for a long time to come. Everyone is busy doing things and we remain nonchalant, laidback, charming. Right now, there is a paradox : As we claim to know food better than other nations, we have become the "arrière-garde". Everyone else is inventing except for the French and French cuisine is dying because of that. There is a huge gap between reality and myth. We worship old icons. |
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