Victoire magnetic reminder board and five magnets. Courtesy of Zoe de Las Cases
Victoire magnetic reminder board and five magnets. Courtesy of Zoe de Las Cases

Home Shopping: Whimsical, kitsch creations at Zoe de Las Cases



After graduating from art school, the French designer and entrepreneur Zoe de Las Cases set up shop in Paris and online. Her virtual aisles are filled with whimsical creations - all inspired by her unconventional childhood in the beautiful Aubrac region of France, vintage photographs and domestic imagery from the 1950s.

It's a strange but fun mix and very original; I have yet to find another shop offering wares including miniature cardboard kitchen kits, cushions covered with colanders and fox masks.

Zoe finds old photographs of nostalgic scenes - smiling children on a beach holiday or cloud-watching on soft grass, three serious sisters on a picnic, a pensive housewife pegging out her laundry - then adds splashes of bright colour and pattern to the monochrome prints to give them a modern twist before printing the designs onto cushions. The results are kitsch and fabulous.

She's not afraid to break the rules. Some of her cushions are irregularly shaped, as if a child has cut around the outlines of the people with a pair of scissors. Her red colander cushion is completely mad (and somewhat at odds with the rest of the range) but I love it all the more because it's so bizarre.

Zoe also sells cute magnetic boards that feature daydreaming girls and come with fun magnets that can be anything from a radish to a fly swat. Perfect for shopping lists or invitations, they're by far the most chic memo boards I've seen in a while.

Don't miss the strange little cardboard people here, apparently designed to be propped on shelves or stuck on the wall. Crafters, beware: there are the most amazing rubber stamping kits, with fluorescent pink ink and vintage-inspired designs such as analogue cameras, moustaches, designer chairs and rollerblades.

The poster collection at Zoe de Las Cases is a delight, too, and as totally bonkers as the rest of the shop. In most of the collage-like prints, colourful pigeons perch on children's heads. Pourquoi pas? It's crazy, but I'm converted.

For shipping rates to the UAE, visit shop.zoedelascases.com or call 003 398 111 9716

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

THE BIO

Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place

Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai

First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group

Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business

Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne

Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia

Family: Six sisters

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