YMER&MALTA : French Creation Studio

YMER&MALTA : French Creation Studio

A cornerstone of high-end French creation, yet discreet in its identity, Studio YMER&MALTA operates on an atypical model, orchestrated by its director, Valérie Maltaverne.

Text by Marielle Brie de Lagerac

From her career in cinema, Valérie Maltaverne has retained the power of collective synergy. This dynamic, galvanized by the artistic vision of a producer-director, has become the backbone of her studio, YMER&MALTA. By assembling a technical team of designers and master artisans, she gives rise to pieces infused with a universe that is uniquely her own.


Her instantly recognizable signature draws inspiration from the poetic essence of nature, awakening distant, universal memories. It manifests through exceptional furniture and decorative arts, acclaimed and sought after by both prestigious museums and distinguished collectors.

Valérie Maltaverne

A Unique Creative Studio

Unlike a traditional design editor, Valérie Maltaverne conceives each project and oversees the creative process behind every new YMER&MALTA piece. Whether working with marble, leather, marquetry, or tapestry, each object follows an artistic direction determined by the studio’s director. Her working method is as meticulous as it is demanding. She begins by defining a collection theme centered on an exceptional heritage material, then guides a designer in shaping the studio’s aesthetic vision. For approximately a year, she refines the design before imprinting it with the studio’s final signature touches.
Next comes the crucial stage of selecting artisans of outstanding talent, delving into the possibilities and constraints of their craft. A patient and indispensable dialogue with these artisans gradually unveils the secrets and unique properties of the materials—their historical techniques, the virtuosity required to shape them, and the aspirations of the hands that bring them to life.

At this juncture, Valérie Maltaverne pushes the boundaries of material exploration, sketching out possibilities that once seemed unattainable. Attentive and resolute, she galvanizes her teams and leads artisans to venture beyond their own perceived limits. Through relentless work and patience, prototypes take shape. The process requires deconstructing, reconstructing, experimenting—in a word: innovating—until the perfect outcome is achieved.
Each creation from Studio YMER&MALTA embodies the “heritage of the future” in French artisanal excellence. Prestigious museums and leading collectors recognize this unmistakable standard. Since the turn of the century, YMER&MALTA pieces have stood as a hallmark of excellence—a new and undeniable benchmark in the world of French furniture and decorative arts.
 
Eidos XXI at TEFAF Maastricht
Eidos XXI at TEFAF Maastricht, 2023

A Signature of Excellence

This creative process demands the precise time it requires. To fully embrace the reality of master artisans is to accept their own unique temporal rhythm. In doing so, Valérie Maltaverne restores the rightful place of French heritage—both past and in the making.

Achieving precision in craftsmanship, learned and transmitted through generations, necessitates time. Its unceasing repetition gradually leads to mastery. And when innovation is introduced, the artisan must reconsider everything they know, further extending the creative timeline. This is precisely what captivates museums and elite collectors: a commitment to enduring excellence,

initiated and upheld by YMER&MALTA’s director, as opposed to the fleeting immediacy of mass production.

Tombée de métier à Aubusson : l'aboutissement de plusieurs années de travail pour la collection The Great Lady
The tapestry is detached from its loom : the culmination of several years of work for The Great Lady collection

In an era where time is increasingly lost in the virtual realm, where digital realities disconnect us from materiality and expert craftsmanship, the collections curated by Valérie Maltaverne respond to an essential need for rootedness in heritage. Enriching savoir-faire, working with and elevating natural materials, producing less but better, and rekindling a sense of wonder in the tangible world —these are the core principles woven into YMER&MALTA’s response to contemporary challenges. These concerns align with those of museums and private collectors, who work together to pass on innovative, emblematic creations to future generations. Only those works where time itself is the principal material can fulfill this mission. Valérie Maltaverne has made this her signature, and her recognition is universal.

fallenTree Villa Albertine
fallenTree at Villa Albertine © Beowulf Sheehan