The choice of... Isabelle de Ponfilly
Since October 2025, Source Édition, which brings back to life design gems from the 1950s to 1970s, has opened a showroom in the French capital. At the head of this delightful publishing house, Isabelle de Ponfilly and her daughter Joséphine Bursacchi. Office et Culture asked Isabelle de Ponfilly about her ideal office.
Isabelle de Ponfilly is a figure in French design. She led the French branch of Vitra for over twenty years. Committed to all players in international design, she has, over the years, woven close ties between designers, manufacturers and prestigious institutions such as the Mobilier national, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (MAD) and the Centre national des arts plastiques (CNAP). A career and trajectory that earned her the titles of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur.
This singular journey continues today through a new chapter, named Source Édition. With her daughter Joséphine Bursacchi, an entrepreneur passionate about design and European craftsmanship, she brings back to life iconic pieces from the 1950s to 1970s. A new adventure carried out in partnership with the Mobilier national.
Dialogue lounge chairs by André Monpoix (1967) by Source Édition
"To receive, exchange, and reflect together, I choose the Dialogue armchairs by André Monpoix. Their comfort and the purity of their lines testify to a generous and democratic vision of 1960s design. But beyond their formal quality, these seats have a symbolic dimension that touches me: they furnished Simone Veil's office, a woman whose strength, humanity and courage inspire me daily. Installing Dialogue in my dream office is both a tribute to this heritage and an inscription in the space of the memory of a commitment." This collection of seats with a refined and fiercely modern look invites you to compose a modular lounge according to your desires, through a whole series of colors, ranging from green to ochre, white, or yellow.
Jumelles lamp by Ben Swildens (1970) by Source Édition
"I like this space to be lit by the Jumelles lamp, designed in 1970 by Ben Swildens and reissued by Source Édition. This piece, which I particularly cherish, goes beyond the simple function of lighting. Its two opposing half-globes diffuse a subtle and modulated light, while asserting a sculptural presence. It alone summarizes what a great design object should be: an alliance between technical rigor and visual poetry." This lighting piece in folded aluminum sheet, signed by Dutch designer and architect Ben Swildens, features a powder coating for greater durability.
TU-TU coffee table by Turenne Chevallereau (1968) by Source Édition
"To accompany my ideal work and reception space, I choose the TU-TU coffee table by Turenne Chevallereau, designed in 1968 for the Mobilier national. I love its apparent simplicity and discreet ingenuity: a piece that is both sculptural and functional, delivered flat, which assembles and disassembles without tools or screws. It perfectly embodies the spirit of invention and freedom of French design from that era, when people sought to combine beauty, practicality and accessibility. TU-TU becomes a companion for all occasions (side table, seat or support) and reminds us that true design is also the joy of movement and modularity." The piece chosen by Isabelle de Ponfilly is one of the first flat-pack furniture pieces, born in the late 1960s. Its name is inspired by different traditional woodworking techniques, while paying tribute to the designer's first name and nickname.
