Charles Viancin – Creator, Designer, Entrepreneur
Charles Viancin is the creator and exclusive designer of the eponymous brand of fun and functional silicone kitchenware accessories that are inspired by nature.
Charles Viancin has spent the last decade revitalizing the international kitchenware market
with fun and functional products that are innovatively designed and responsibly made. His work is lifted straight from the landscapes that surround us all and through his passion, his drive, and creativity he has successfully garnered in a new generation of products that are both reflective and respectful of nature.
It was in 2005 that Charles Viancin created the company and the brand which both bear his name
Inspired by nature’s breathtaking beauty, whether it was found in a solitary water lily or a glowing field of sunflowers, Charles Viancin designed a range of kitchen accessories that, to this day, is constantly expanding with new products released every year. Lids, bottle stoppers, drink markers, and more come in an astounding array of shapes, sizes, and colours and are all made from environment-friendly silicone. Their unique designs make them essential for containing kitchen messes, keeping food fresh, sealing in heat for hot foods, and keeping cold foods chilled. Durable and flexible, silicone is the perfect material for bringing Charles Viancin’s ideas to life.
Based in the French Alps by Lake Annecy
Charles Viancin’s designs and selects only the best partners for the manufacturing and distribution of its silicone kitchen accessories all over the world. After establishing branches in the United States and Japan, CHARLES VIANCIN GROUP began to develop its presence in the European market. In March of 2020, CHARLES VIANCIN GROUP celebrated its 15-year anniversary.
Nature is a continual source of inspiration for Charles Viancin
The creative process takes place, from the initial sketches to the final model, in an isolated town in the French Alps. In order to continue designing aesthetically pleasing products that are equal parts fun and functional, Charles Viancin pursues inspiration with a fiery passion. He draws from the shapes, sounds, sights, and smells that surround him whether he’s taking a casual stroll with his family or travelling abroad. He scours the globe for the next big idea. Oftentimes he finds that the biggest inspirations are in the surprisingly simplest scenery a field of poppies; a bouquet of daisies ripe for plucking off each petal and whispering, “he loves me- he loves me not”; the serene, zen-like atmosphere of a pond strewn with lily pads; the frivolous dance steps of a solitary snowflake; the warm, embracing glow of a fully-bloomed sunflower; the breathtaking spectacle of a hundred cherry-blossoms sailing through the sky simultaneously; the immense amount of joy felt in finding a four-leaf clover; the exotic look and feel of a banana tree leaf swaying in the wind; a pumpkin patch on a clear autumn day; the kaleidoscopic wonder of a thousand butterfly wings delicately flapping in unison; or the deep tranquillity of a seashell tucked into its sandy ocean bed.
5 Questions to Charles Viancin
1. Where did you get the idea to create a brand centered around kitchen accessories?
I wanted to dash into a new, ambitious project: adding a little flavour to the everyday life of people who spend a lot of time cooking by designing kitchen accessories that are playful but practical at the same time. Thanks to my prior experience in manufacturing silicone accessories (Charles Viancin was formerly a Director of Marketing for a silicone kitchenware manufacturer), I was able to start up Charles Viancin Group and then create my brand CHARLES VIANCIN® where I started coming up with my own unique designs for kitchen accessories made entirely out of silicone and inspired by nature.
2. What are your sources of inspiration?
Nature is my main source of inspiration because, as a native of Haute-Savoie, I’ve always been fascinated with landscapes that take your breath away. The many strolls that I’ve taken with my children combined with my journeys abroad have also fed my inspiration time and time again. Every moment that I spend in nature offers me something new to sketch. I’ve found that by regularly drawing inspiration from nature, my life has become much simpler and much healthier. And to find new inspirations, I opened CHARLES VIANCIN GROUP’s new head office in the middle of nowhere, near Lake Annecy in the French Alps.
3. What is the first Charles Viancin product that you designed? And what would you consider to be the “best-seller” today?
The first product that I drew and created would’ve been the Lily Pad Lid during some time that I spent in Asia. I was simply inspired by the exquisite form and sheer beauty of the water lily in bloom. From there the creative process gave birth to a high-quality product, with a playful design, and quite affordable in price. Today, the airtight silicone lids are our “best-sellers”. They help meet the increasing need for healthy cooking and staple diets of good food.
4. Why use silicone?
The real question should be- why use anything else? The silicone that we use in our products is non-toxic and can be used over and over again which not only guarantees a healthy kitchen but a healthy planet as well. Silicone is a natural and supple material which allows me to design products that are flexible and multifunctional. Silicone is easy to clean and unbelievably durable. It functions in extreme temperatures both hot and cold; thereby, making it safe to use in most ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, and dishwashers.
5. What are your big dreams for your brand?
To continue creating innovative designs with new themes and new products. And why not venture out of the kitchen and one day invest in fashion? I also dream of implanting my brand all over the world. In 2015, we celebrated 10 years of CHARLES VIANCIN GROUP and we already have hundreds of ideas for the next 10 years, but I can’t reveal everything just yet … See you soon for the continuation of our history!
