Surely, La Gazette Mag doesn’t wait for the month of March – in view of its precious annual date, supposed to cover the weaker sex with a clement glory – to put women in the spotlight! Each edition bears witness to their proud local representation in a number of fields, attempting to desacralize notions of parity, equality, legitimacy… to convert them into a single one: normality. However, since it’s fashionable for women to occupy space and minds at this time of year, we’re not going to deny ourselves anything, and this month we’re sharing a small sample… of artists. Delphine Raimond
They cultivate and master an art, a know-how, a technique, with creativity. Paule, Orlane, Carol, Nouchine, Cécile, Samila, Véronique and Ingrid tell us their story, their art… their profession.
The mood-setters
Paule or the alchemy of design
A DPLG (government-registered) architect and interior designer, Paule de Romeuf, who has just opened a practice in her beloved Portugal, is an artist! “Yes, I have the feeling of being creative, of taking pleasure in inventing new stories for each project. I like to play with shapes, materials and colors. Mastering the technical aspects of her work in no way detracts from its aesthetics; this is what her training as an architect instills in her above all else. A professional recognized by her peers and customers alike, she finds no discomfort in practicing her profession as a woman!
When she arrived in Mauritius 28 years ago, she quickly got to work on the layout of airport lounges, which gave her expertise in interior architecture, the use of space and the restoration of existing buildings – the main focus of her work today. “Restructuring spaces, transforming facades, engaging in interior architecture and finishing with decoration” are her passions, allowing her to express her creativity in all its fullness.
I’m back with her on one of her proudest achievements, the recent renovation of the Veranda Grand Baie (a Rogers Hospitality property), which also happens to be her first hotel project in Mauritius, 23 years ago. “It was a great pleasure to work there again, alongside architect Jean-Philippe Piat. Like all existing projects, it’s the architecture of the site that inspires the story we tell ourselves. Veranda Grand Baie’s is a real gift for an interior designer. It’s the Mauritius of yesteryear that the design must bring to the fore, the gentle way of life, the tropical garden, the varangue living… The scale of its buildings inspires calm and intimacy, and the sunset over Grand Baie bay is an unforgettable spot that all guests must be able to share, hence the creation of a sunset bar.” Paule explains that the hotel’s challenge consisted of a different, daring choice of colors, and confirms with a smile that she’s “quite happy with the result”. While her projects are always a source of inspiration and satisfaction, some of them remain more difficult. “The plans and scenography for the Textile Museum, the Sugar Adventure and the Blue Penny Museum, which I worked on in the 2000s with interior architect Philippe Rambaud, required a different approach to that of resorts or villas. From her rich professional career, Paule will remember her years of collaboration on prestigious projects with Jean Nouvel, which developed her creative spirit and her enjoyment of collective work.
Orlane or the art of crochet
If I say nightclub physiognomist, events project manager, toll booth management controller… you’d be hard-pressed to guess that this is the career path ofOrlane Lacaze, the jovial and dynamic founder of Isloom, an artisanal decoration company. And yet, it’s hardly surprising: “Creation, art, exhibitions… have always been part of my life! Raised by an artist mother and art teacher, I learned everything from her, from the techniques she passed on with passion and curiosity”, she explains. On her arrival in Mauritius in 2010, Orlane set out to make her own living from the creative manual arts that have always inspired her. Materials were hard to come by, but she persevered, rummaging around, scouring the stalls and making pieces for friends and family on demand. “I discovered a passion for nylons straps and started making rugs and poufs… A friend came by and bought them to put in her boutique; an interior decorator spotted them and ordered some for a hotel under renovation… Isloom was born! Everything happened very quickly for the designer, who had no stock and no store. Quickly becoming known as a workaholic, she is the sole producer and masters impeccable quality. “I love yarns, textiles and mixing techniques. I don’t deny myself anything! Even if I can create very simple things, I like XXL! Fibers, knots, twists, arabesques… make up the works signed Isloom – ISL for island, LOOM for knots. Salvage, common sense, curiosity… anything’s possible! “I know all the techniques (knitting, weaving…), but it’s crochet that really gets me. This XXL tool is magic! I’ve created a hashtag #noncennestpasdumacrame, because when people see yarn, they say macramé. It’s not serious, but it’s wrong!” His compositions decorate the floors, walls, staircases, lighting fixtures… of fine Mauritian addresses – most recently the Maradiva – and often represent out-of-the-ordinary projects, such as the steel structures or the XL pole cladding in the lobby of the Pirogue. “Working with your arms and hands, eight to ten hours a day is a challenge.” Who she is, where she comes from… are of no importance to the one who remains discreet and always surprises, when she lands on a worksite with her ladder and drill. “Isloom is Mauritian, and I’m very attached to it! Maybe I wouldn’t have been so creative if I’d had all the materials at my disposal like in Europe. This way, I’ve developed my creativity and have never been able to be capricious! I’m very lucky!
All on stage!
Carole’s roles
From jewelry to costumes and accessories. From song and comedy to vocal coaching, the common thread running through Carol Lamport ‘s career is creativity. The artist returns to the stage on April 13 at the Caudan Arts Centre (CAC), with Show devant, alongside and at the initiative of Cedric Nayna, himself under contract until 2025 in Hamburg, for the role of Scar in the musical The Lion King. In aid of the NGO Vent d’un rêve, the show is a singing tour revisiting Broadway classics and rolling out hits from Le Roi Lion and Starmania. Carol’s repertoire ranges from French and English variety to musical comedy. “For me, a song always tells a story. While in concert she’s in her comfort zone, she has also tried her hand at acting, taking classes with Marie-Ange Koenig at the CAC. “The use of the voice is very different there, and it surprised and challenged me a lot. As for musical comedy, it’s a happy medium between concert and theater, but a completely different discipline, unique in its genre.”
A Christmas album released in 2015, a children’s book co-written with her husband Pascal Lagesse, a series of Christmas Carols concerts with her singer friend Diane Hardy and the writing of the title Nwel a l’ile Moris, offered to the public in December 2022, on YouTube. The singer’s view of the music scene in Mauritius is confident: “I think things are moving fast these days. The new generation is much more open to the outside world. Personally, I’ve never sung outside the country, even if I’ve always wanted to. Like all artists, you have dreams that come true and others that don’t… or haven’t yet! When asked about her solo career, its obstacles and disappointments, Carol replies: “Solo means alone, and that’s not always easy. Where to perform? At what price? How to attract an audience? In short, I’d say it’s the same ordeal as any other artist! Today, I try to do the best I can with what I’m given, even if I sometimes grumble.
She has shared the stage with Linzy Bacbotte, Kenneth Babajie… but the man who definitively marked her career was Robert Duvergé, in 1994. Spotting her at a Lions Club revue, he enabled her to audition with Gerard Sullivan and land the role of Marie-Jeanne in Starmania the following year, marking both the decisive turning point in her career and a revelation for musicals! Today, as a vocal coach, Carol accompanies anyone wishing to improve their singing – but not only! “Singing well goes beyond mere technique. Working on the voice involves taking an interest in the whole person, physically, emotionally and mentally. My students often come to me with a story, a past, beliefs that influence the way they sing. My role is to shed light on all the aspects that could help them, in one way or another, to improve their vocal performance, by proposing mindfulness-based explorations.” Any regrets for this singer-songwriter? That of not playing an instrument. “That would have given me more autonomy… but who knows, he’s zame tro tar, the title of one of my songs.”
Nouchine’s arpeggios
Swiss pianist Nouchine Shopfer has been living in Mauritius since September 2022. Affable, gracious… happy, she welcomes me into her home, in all simplicity. A professional conservatory diploma, a teaching diploma, chamber music virtuosity in Geneva, a soloist diploma in Bern… have all shaped this musician, trained by the great Pascal Rogé, among others. For her, Maurice is more than just a crush: “It was in the back of my mind, I knew I’d end up here one day! When, in February 2022, her partner mentioned the expatriation, she was ecstatic, but far from imagining that everything would happen so quickly! “My life in Switzerland was becoming complicated, I was teaching 52 students in international schools, to support a house I had kept after my divorce. I no longer had time for concerts, I was tired and frustrated…”. When she arrived on the island, which Nouchine had already visited many times, she was in burn-out, longing for rest and the simple pleasure of playing, to rediscover the pure sensations. Eighteen months later, she feels where she belongs: “I’m living my dream life, it’s beyond my expectations, I still can’t believe it!” she tells me, beaming.
While she wants to take the time to live, everything comes together, almost in spite of herself. Word of mouth, a network of family and friends… they all wanted to see her play, to sponsor her… When she revived her first concert at the Grand Baie Yacht Club, she relived the nightmare of transporting her piano to the site and revealed to me that she had never moved her instruments again! On stage, her recitals with her partner Daniel, a professional actor, are a success! He breathes into the audience his carefully crafted texts on the life of a composer; she mixes in her musical interventions. Although her repertoire is vast, she doesn’t like contemporary music. Nouchine loves classical, baroque, tango… Exploring, challenging… democratizing access to classical music for the Mauritian public, supported by the fervor of collaborators such as Ashish Beesoondial, director of the CAC. “I always say to neophytes, come and listen, discover, even if you don’t know anything about it!” Much in demand, she now teaches at home, to teenagers, toddlers, adults, beginners… driven by this desire to pass on… if (and only if) she detects the spark and serious desire to work. “I’m not strict, just demanding! If I don’t have anything in front of me and have to run the class on my own, that’s no good!”
But the real local challenge remains the instrument! Keeping a piano in good condition, in the face of adverse weather conditions, and finding a good instrument and suitable acoustics on stage, is a real challenge. Like many of his colleagues, his view of the local artistic scene is optimistic. “Ten years ago, the audience for classical music was non-existent, but today it’s on the move, collaborations are being created, and people are interested!
Nouchine’s background and maturity give him every legitimacy. Because I’m a pianist before I’m a teacher,” she tells me earnestly. I pass on keys that I myself would have liked to have received much earlier, at the conservatoire!” As the interview progresses, I discover her projects, her busy schedule… and ask about the spare time of the musician, who is also a diving instructor and former ski instructor in Switzerland. “Basically, I came here to enjoy myself and work less. Right now, it’s the opposite,” she laughs. I haven’t had time to put my head under water yet! But strangely enough… I’ve never wanted to play as much as since I’ve been here!” After two recent performances at the CAC and the Quartier des Serres (a fabulous immersion in the world of Astor Piazzola and his nuevo tango !), alongside his friends Vladislava Kisselova (cellist) and Fernando Cleves (violinist), who have flown in from Switzerland for the occasion, Nouchine is about to take a break… before preparing three major concerts in Switzerland, starting in September!
Cécile’s movements
Beau Plan’s Creative Park, a venue for exhibitions, entertainment and cultural events, brings together a plethora of artistic talent. Among them, Gaëlle Gonzales, whom we introduced to you in July 2022 in her printing studio, or her sister Cécile Gonzales, who has been running Le Studio dance school since 2017. “Having arrived in 2011, we’ve been able to witness the development of the Smart City, year after year, an ecosystem conducive to creation and teaching.” A team of 5 teachers and professional dancers are dedicated to the 130 students, of all ages and levels, in contemporary, jazz, modern, barre au sol, capoeira-fitness and other dance classes. ”
When the Franco-Mauritian (born in Cameroon in 1981) returned home in 2008 to found the Omada company, she was graced with an already rich academic and professional background. The Metz regional conservatory at the age of 13. A gold medal in contemporary dance at 18. A state diploma, training with great choreographers, perfecting various writing techniques in New York, Paris, Tokyo…
Multicasquette, the director is a dancer, teacher, accountant, producer… but she is humble about her work as a choreographer. “Choreography is an art, a full-time job, research, a constant analysis of the world around us, it’s a bit like working in a laboratory, you have to devote most of your time to it.” Cécile’s thing is contemporary dance! She remembers her arrival in Mauritius and the challenge that awaited her; she still laughs about it: “It wasn’t easy to introduce the discipline here. People often have a rather abstract idea of it. Of course, there is that aspect, but it’s not the only one! Contemporary dance is a way of thinking, which requires solid technique. Cécile has been teaching for fifteen years, and her students are her greatest reward. “I pass on my tools, and I’m delighted to witness real technical progress, as well as learning respect, humility and values. When I see some of our students go on to dance after their A-levels, I realize just how hard we work every day.” I learn that one student is at the Lyon Conservatoire, another at the Martha Graham School in New York, and yet another at the Centre Chorégraphique James Carlès in Toulouse!
Every year, on the CAC stage, the students put on a show featuring incredible costumes and set designs – created over the past thirteen years by partners Florence Draschler, Emizibo and SAO Maker. Then, every two years, an artistic project from the ballet repertoire is readapted into contemporary and jazz. In 2022, it was Cinderella; this year, it will be La Bayadère, on June 14, 15 and 16. Not to mention the Studio’s participation in the (biennial) regional dance competition in La Réunion, which propels the best performers onto the stage of the national competition in France. “The event also enables the team to take stock of the situation, and adjust its teaching methods.
From luxury to pastry
Ma Signature Gourmande is the brainchild of Samila Vallimamode, a self-taught artist for whom pastry-making is “a hobby that became a passion, transformed over time into a profession”. With a degree in aesthetics and thirty years’ experience in the luxury perfume industry, Samila was introduced to the discipline on food blogs, before embarking on a 2-month training course at the École Ducasse in France. She takes her heart’s work very seriously: “I’m a perfectionist with an eye for detail, always keen to please my customers.” In her brand-new laboratory in Pointe aux Canonniers (upstairs from Théo Fourneaux, on Costal road), she makes to order all your chocolate desires, crunchy, gourmet, soft, creamy… and regularly challenges herself in the making of new recipes. When I join her to discover her workshop – spacious, temperate, equipped with all the professional equipment – the room is filled with the sweet aroma of lemon meringue pie. So, Samila, why not open a patisserie? “It’s a conscious choice, to test my creations with my customers first, while avoiding the mess of large-scale production and, of course, with a moderate investment. Admittedly, this cuts me off from customer contact, but the aim is also to reach out to catering professionals, for the desserts part.” Her short-term aim is to develop this niche, as well as a sweet catering service, for festive or institutional events. As with Nouchine and her instruments, the Mauritian climate is a major challenge for the pastry chef. “Managing the heat and temperature differences, despite the presence of air conditioning, is a daily challenge! A case in point is the delicate creation of a pavlova, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and its meringue. Samila’s greatest source of pride? The already active word-of-mouth and the loyalty and satisfaction of her customers, a source of motivation! As for her favorite pastry: macaroons, without a doubt!
The Pastor sisters
Materials and know-how
Since January 2007, V&I – founded by Véronique Pastor, with the invaluable help of her late mother – has been offering a turnkey service for textile decoration (sofas, cushions, headboards, curtains, etc.) and upholstery: accompanying customers in their choice, ordering fabric, making and installing the finished product. Its long-standing partnership with Véronique Coombes, director of Trade Secrets, guarantees an exclusive range of wallpapers, fabrics, braids and other organic fibers from the finest international brands!
In 2009, Véronique’s sister Ingrid left Madagascar to join the company and, as a family, take up every challenge. We have two diametrically opposed characters,” Véronique reveals to me, “but even if we sometimes argue, we have lunch together five minutes later! I have to say that we’re very lucky to be together and to have such a close personal and professional bond. Not a step without a Bata, as our friends and family say!
When I ask Véronique if she and her sister feel like artists, she laughs: “Neither Ingrid nor I are, which is why it’s such a pleasure to work with the various project managers, architects and decorators. They have ingenious ideas, sometimes dreams, and we have to make them come true! We love people and have the ability to adapt to the needs of the interior designer and the customer, on time and on budget. By the way, I’d like to thank all our loyal collaborators for their trust over the years.”
In response to the difficulties of the job, Véronique enters a more personal register. I can see how the V&I story is also that of a family – a team – united in the face of life’s ups and downs. “Two years have stood out, ten years apart. First, 2013, the year our mom died of cancer, because she stood by us at V&I right to the end, never letting her physical pain show! Then 2023, when on Friday August 18, our father – and pillar – left us, and on Monday morning, August 21, we were back at the office, to take up our responsibilities.” She then talks about the opening of Lux Belle Mare, the renovation of Zilwa Attitude… but “we had to keep our heads up and keep the ball rolling”. Véronique is proud of all the projects she has accomplished, and readily admits that no challenge could ever have been met without her team: “Most of them have been by our side since we opened, and I say a big thank you to them!” V&I is one of The Hive marketplace’s loyal suppliers.
