The past few weeks have brought a profound sense of coming full circle, a quiet validation that the path I walk today has roots far deeper than I had perceived. It's like discovering my life's unfolding blueprint. The design that has been present for decades by now, having subtly guided my steps without me being aware, or maybe with the occasional susceptive hint. Until now. This retrospective with its undeniable impact of my vision feels like one of the most assuring things I have ever come to realize.
My mind has been circling back to the summer of 2001, when I was just seventeen. I spent seven weeks interning at the UK company of a remarkable French figure, a mentor of sorts, who was then meticulously transforming his château in Southern France into an Art Nouveau and Art Déco museum. That period, the aesthetics, the artists, the groundbreaking Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris 1925 was part of my research as intern and it all captivated me. It felt familiar, like discovering a part of myself I hadn't known was missing yet instantly recognized as home. This early fascination stayed with me, throughout my twenties, weaving through my Art History studies, and feeling incredibly comforting throughout my exploring thirties.
Then, just last month, as Bespoke Vienna celebrated Lobmeyr as our "company of the month" with a focus on glass, the circle completed itself. I learned that Lobmeyr, an icon of Austrian craftsmanship, had participated in that very 1925 Paris exhibition. Hearing a dedicated curator from the MAK discuss Lobmeyr's participation, followed by a tour of their showcased exhibits, felt like a direct conversation across time. It was a tangible link between my formative past and my present mission. Besides the familiar, almost nostalgic feeling of “coming home” it somehow served as the last sign to fully understand: The roots have been laid many years ago, I unconsciously walked the path I was meant to walk and laid the foundation of my endeavors with Bespoke Vienna at the age of 17. It couldn't be more authentic, and I know this foundation is unshakeable.
This sense of a deeper design in life also resonates strongly with another recent reflection: the feedback I've received on Bespoke Vienna's introductory questionnaire. Some test subjects found it "too intense", even voicing their discomfort with its "soul-searching" nature. And while it might seem counterintuitive to highly welcome such comments, it only reinforces my conviction. This questionnaire is designed to bypass the superficial, to shed the autopilot, and to invite a genuine, profound self-exploration. If this means bravery to some, adventure to others or the ultimate nudge to finally dive into long suppressed aspects of oneself, so be it. One the other hand, if one is not prepared to meet themselves honestly in these questions, then Bespoke Vienna is not the right path for them. Bespoke Vienna aims to confront intensity, truly delving beyond the surface; that's where the truths are to be found.
My path, from a curious seventeen-year-old in the orbit of a visionary's project to building Bespoke Vienna, has consistently shown me that true value is found in the enduring, the authentic, and the willingness to explore what lies beneath. This is the blueprint I follow, and it's the journey I invite you to embark upon: where your deepest roots meet your truest purpose.