Anne Camilli is passionate! Trained as an interpreter/translator, her professional experience began with a perfume raw materials trading company, followed by 18 years with the designer Serge Mansau. "I discovered the world of perfume and beauty, along with the beautiful objects, associated with these products throughout history," explains the founder of Musée À la Carte®, an Agency dedicated to promoting the cultural heritage of brands and the luxury industry.
Around the world
In 2007, to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Cosmoprof trade show in Bologna, she was called on to coordinate the creation of a book, Bellezza, dedicated to the history of beauty objects and it was to be the start of a new life for Anne Camilli!
Following on from this, she coordinated the publication of Lèvres de luxe, a book on the history of lipstick by Jean-Marie Martin-Hattemberg, an expert in art objects. At the initiative of the French Consulate, the book was transformed into an exhibition in Hong Kong. "Then I was asked to broaden my approach to arts and crafts, and I took on one project after another. The challenge was always to stage high-quality exhibitions, often in record time. It became my trademark and what gave me the idea of Musée À la Carte® concept," explains Anne Camilli.
Altogether, nearly thirty exhibitions and almost as many books and catalogues have been created to celebrate the French savoir-faire around the world: from the art of make-up to perfume, from watchmaking to jewellery, from goldwork to lace, from fashion accessories and French leather goods to the department stores of the Roaring Twenties.
And Anne Camilli caught herself up in the game! "Throughout our projects, my husband and I have built up a real collection of heritage objects for Musée À la Carte®, as well as an extensive iconographic collection."
Made-to-measure projects
In addition to cultural venues, brands and players in the luxury goods industry are now seeking her expertise to highlight their heritage and history.
"I aim to promote today’s industrial know-how and artistic crafts, drawing on the historical roots of French beauty and elegance. The heritage to explore is so vast that there’s no shortage of subjects! In the archives of many companies, or private collections, we often find beautiful little treasures for marketing departments or designers to exploit. Especially at a time when we’re looking to reconnect with the roots of luxury," she points out.
Today, Anne Camilli’s Musée À la Carte® delivers tailor-made projects all over the world, to the specifications, budgets and deadlines set by its clients. The agency’s latest project, Séduction & Pouvoir, a major exhibition on the art of dressing up at the court of French sovereigns in the 17th and 18th centuries, at the Musée du Domaine Royal de Marly has just closed its doors.
"We can set up an exhibition in a shopping centre, a museum or an industrial site, create a thematic book, a catalogue or a historical film, devise experiments or workshops for the general public or professionals... We design projects from A to Z, with experts, historians, artists, scenographers, translators... and even cooks if necessary! Our photographic archives and our contacts with numerous museums and collectors allow us to save precious time," continues Anne Camilli.
It is a work that leads her to constantly discover the wealth of techniques and know-how developed in France and Europe since the Renaissance, and right up to the present day, to create an authentic industry of beauty and elegance.
"The setting up of projects always involves a great deal of research and the support of historians and specialists. It’s great teamwork, and in the end, a job of passion, sharing and transmission...," she concludes.
