Born in 1990, Richoz graduated from ECAL, the University of Art and Design Lausanne, in 2012. She went on to work with Pierre Charpin before developing her independent practice in Paris. Residencies at Sèvres, Cité de la Céramique, and CIRVA, the glass research centre in Marseille, gave her opportunities to explore materials alongside specialist makers.
That close attention to making runs through her work. Richoz moves between individual pieces and industrial production, bringing an interest in craftsmanship to both. A change in thickness, colour or finish can give a familiar object an entirely different character. Her collaborations include Vitra, Alessi, HAY, Mattiazzi and Galerie kreo, reflecting the breadth of a practice that is equally comfortable with a small domestic object and a piece of furniture.
For Nedre Foss, she designed Laguz, a cast iron household weight that serves as a bookend while leaving room for other uses. Its angled body and integrated handle give it an expressive profile, suggesting a small figure or a graphic character. Cast in Sweden and seasoned with rapeseed oil, the approximately three-kilogram object makes its material and weight part of its appeal.
What draws us to Laguz is how much personality comes from such an economical form. It holds a row of books in place, yet remains interesting when the books are taken away. Richoz describes wanting an object whose purpose could remain open to interpretation, an idea that sits naturally within Nedre Foss’s collection of enduring, useful objects.
Richoz received the Grand Prix at Design Parade in 2012 and the Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris in 2023. She has also taught industrial design at ECAL since 2017, alongside her studio practice.
Discover Laguz by Julie Richoz at Good Form.
