Emeric Tibierge is a paper designer based in Paris, France. His talent is recognized worldwide, and he has designed wrapping paper for many prestigious luxury fashion houses both domestically and internationally. THIBIERGE PARIS, named after himself, is his brand of notebooks.

One of the people who loves this notebook is Yoichiro Maeda, editor-in-chief of LEON.JP. Having spent over 20 years in the world of magazines and constantly working with paper, Maeda carries around only one unbranded notebook and the "Le Carnet 08・16" from Tibierge Paris. Maeda had the opportunity to meet Americ Tibierge during his visit to Japan.

Yoichiro Maeda, Editor-in-Chief of LEON.JP, and Emeric Tibierge

Maeda: It was around the time I moved from being the editor-in-chief of the print edition to the web edition that I learned about Tibierge Paris's "Le Carnet" series.
That's the Emeric "08/16" model, right? Are you using it as a planner?
Maeda : No, I manage my schedule on my smartphone. I use "Le Carnet" as an idea notebook to organize my thoughts.


Emerick , you have another notebook over there, don't you?
Maeda: These are meeting notes from interviews and business meetings. I don't care about the brand as long as they're a reasonable size. They might be gifts, promotional items, or souvenirs from exhibitions. The one I'm using right now is a promotional item from a certain bag brand (laughs).
Why did Emerick have two books?
I want to separate what I've heard from Maeda Hitomi or what I've actually seen and heard from her from my own thoughts. Doing so helps me organize my thoughts. I need a notebook for editing, to decide what to extract from the vast amount of material.
How about doing it this way, Emerick ? (He attached two identical memo refills to the Le Carnet.)



Maeda ... That's absolutely perfect!
One of the features of "Le Carnet" is that you can combine Emeric Schedule and Meeting Memo refills into one booklet using magnets, but you can also attach two of the same refills. Since there are many different types of refills, some people may have trouble choosing two different ones, but I think it's also convenient to use two of the same refills. I don't recommend using two schedule book refills, though (laughs).

The notebook covers, with their smooth, matte lacquer finish, and high-quality refills are popular. You can feel the exceptional sense of designer Emeric Tibierge, who is passionate about papermaking. Notebook cover (with notebook refill): Large: 49,680 yen , Small: 37,800 yen Diary refill: Large: 8,100 yen , Small: 6,210 yen
■ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 8th Floor = Isetan Men's Residence

Maeda: Before, I used to write down all my interviews and ideas in one notebook, so I started using two to solve that problem, but I never thought of that...
Writing is very important to you, Mr. Emeric Maeda, isn't it?
Maeda has a personality that makes him want to jot down ideas as soon as they come to him; if it's handy, he'll even write it on kitchen paper. Things he learns in the digital world can be bookmarked digitally, but things he sees with his eyes and hears with his ears are saved by writing them down on paper.
Emerick seems to be someone who works in the world of books and magazines.



Maeda: Right now, I'm in a position to communicate from the digital world, but the place where I reconstruct the materials I've saved as "points" into a "surface" is not on a computer, but on paper. It offers a greater degree of freedom of expression. With handwriting, I can keep up with the speed of my thoughts in terms of the placement of shapes and text, the size of the text, and what to emphasize. In addition, when the information is in the form of meeting notes, it hasn't yet become my own. I think it's only when I write it down in an idea notebook that it starts to accumulate as my own knowledge.
Emmerich , everyone learns to listen and speak as a child. However, writing and expressing oneself in text requires learning and practice. It is a highly intellectual and sophisticated skill unique to humans.
Mr. Maeda Emerick, do you use a smartphone?
Emerick, I'm a smartphone user too. That's why I added QR codes to each page of "Le Carnet" so you can save the notes as images to your smartphone. The app automatically sorts them when you scan them, so you only save the pages you need.
Maeda: This app is really convenient, isn't it? It's useful when you want to share ideas.

©THIBIERGE PARIS

Emerick: I used to rely on a BlackBerry too. Back then, I switched to digital because my handwritten notes would sometimes smudge and disappear. But, the speed at which I could type just couldn't keep up with the speed at which I could think. I'd get lost in the process of fumbling with the controls, and my ideas would get lost. So I developed paper that's resistant to fading. We also have paper with herringbone patterns like fabric, transparent paper like Venetian glass, watermarks inspired by dragonfly wings, and even paper with a velvet-like texture.
Maeda: The paper used in the refills for "Le Carnet" is very thin yet strong. I press down hard when I write, but it has never torn even once.
Emerick: This paper is made from hemp fibers grown in the Normandy region. Hemp grows in one year and thrives on rain alone, making it low-maintenance and environmentally friendly.

©THIBIERGE PARIS

Maeda: Also, the fact that it opens completely flat at 180 degrees is great. With thick notebooks or ring notebooks, it's often difficult to write on the spine (the inside of the closed book). With Le Carnet, you can write across the entire spread.
The idea of using magnets to secure the Emeric refills is something I've been developing since I was young. It's now a patented technology.




Maeda: This simple exterior gives it a very modern impression. And the cover is sturdy, so being able to take notes while holding it in one hand is really convenient when you want to take notes while standing. Is the cover resistant to scratches due to a special coating?
The Emeric exterior uses a special resin fiber. The slight curve, rather than being perfectly flat, is designed for a better grip. A special coating is applied to make it scratch-resistant, but this is a time-consuming process involving multiple layers of paint.
This is a detail that is typical of designer Maeda .
Designing the Emeric paper itself is also part of my job.


Maeda , let me just mention one drawback. This Le Carnet doesn't have any space to store writing instruments, does it? I keep my Rotring pen in another meeting notebook, but I wish there was a way to carry all my tools together, whether it's a ballpoint pen or a pencil. If that were possible, I'd consider getting rid of my meeting notebook and using two refillable notebooks.

Photo: Natsuko Okada
Text: Yasuyuki Ikeda

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