Our story
We are a couple from shanghai. As we moved to Paris, we were instantly mesmerized by its cultural tolerance. Yet, we began to realize that despite such vivid cultural surroundings, the arts and culture of China are largely missing.
This is such a shame because we know that if only there is a place for people to get to know about the works of authentic Chinese art and handicrafts, people will fall in love with them.
With this idea in mind, we went back to China to search for elegant handicrafts that are not only representative of the aesthetics of China but can also be used daily and can be decorated in a Parisian home.
Our boutique
«Sou 苏» is the abbreviation of a region known as «Jiangnan 江南» (literally «south of the river»). For centuries, the region has been at the centre of craftsmanship in China, crafting decorative objects and furniture for the imperial palace and royal families. In the process, the region has developed its own aesthetics and style that resonate with elegance and delicacy.
«Yu 遇» in Chinese means to encounter. The «Jiangnan 江南'» region has attracted countless artists, scholars, and literati. In «encountering», the region has inspired their works of paintings, literature, poems, and caligraphies.
We wish our boutique to become a place where you can meet some of the most iconic craftsmanship of the region. We present objects and furniture crafted by traditional techniques and are designed to convey an aesthetics unique to the region.
We believe the aesthetics and style of our objects and furniture transcend time and space. They can decorate and embellish any space, whether it is a modern Parisian apartment, a traditional French Maison, or any other style of living space.
As you come to our boutique or browse over our catalogue, we hope you will rediscover and re-understand aspects of Chinese culture.
We invite artists to perform live demonstrations, as well as host talks and seminars regarding the arts and culture of China at our boutique.
Our vision can be best illustrated by the image on the right: a typical street in Shanghai. The parasol trees on both sides of the street were planted by the French during the French concession period, but have since become an icon of the city.
We hope our handicrafts are like these parasol trees. They come from a foreign country, but can take root in the local soil and can be loved and appreciated by the local people.