he leaves real estate to create and manufacture chairs and armchairs in a village in Aude

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After four years spent in real estate and asset management, it’s a new life for Julien Vicario. Today, this young man of 25 originally from Lauragais (he grew up in Montgiscard and Montclar-Lauragais) shapes wood. He is a cabinetmaker-designer and has just settled in a small village in Aude, not far from Lake Ganguise. Here he created a first collection of five pieces of furniture original design. Meet this neo-artisan.

The passion for art deco

In his premises located in Gourvieille (Aude), Julien Vicario confides in Voice of Midi Lauragais. His specialty? The chairs! “I only do sittings, but I am not closed to doing other things in the future,” he smiles.

After saying goodbye to the real estate industry, he decided to get started in furniture and design. “I always loved it,” he recalls, before evoking memories of decoration magazines that he consulted with his grandmother and walks in furniture stores with her.

Trained at Revel

It is therefore formed at Revel wood and furniture high school and obtained a CAP Carpentry qualification in headquarters. “I learned to work solid wood with hand tools and assemblies without screws,” he assures.

With his diploma in hand, he worked for six months in Auvergne with a cabinetmaker-designer, Tim Van Caubergh. Then, he moved to Gourvieille in March 2024 in a space which, until now, served as storage space for his family. “I really wanted to set up my workshop. There was this space available. I jumped at the chance. »

L’atelier Fabricario

During his installation, Julien Vicario calls his business Le Woody boy. But that’s already ancient history. “It was just a nickname on social networks,” he confides. The final name of his workshop: Factory. A mixture of Fabricotti (the last name of one of his ancestors, an Italian sculptor who emigrated to France) and Vicario.

Today, the craftsman makes his own seats. His very first collection is made up of five models : an armchair, three chairs and a stool. “The idea is to work with three materials: wood (beech), cane that I weave myself and leather,” he explains.

Not mastering – for the moment – ​​leather work, the designer calls on Laurent Demeta craftsman of Ramonville-Saint-Agne.

The prices of its furniture

At the level pricesit costs €830 for the “Bernard” armchair (a name in homage to his grandfather), €570 for the “Bernadette” and “Zig-Zag” chairs, €480 for the “#1” chair (called so because it is his first work) and €190 for the “Treppiedi” stool. “I’m just starting out so I don’t charge exorbitant prices,” says Julien Vicario.

However, the cabinetmaker estimates that he will have to increase these prices by mid-January for its activity to be profitable. It must be said that the work and manufacturing costs are not negligible. For example, he needs 60 hours and €500 of materials to make a Bernard armchair.

Julien Vicario manufactures each seat on request. “The idea is not to have stock, to remain artisanal,” he explains.

Good news for his business: the first orders have been recorded and other companies (an art gallery and a real estate agency) and individuals are showing interest.

He would like to create a sofa

The craftsman don’t plan to stop there. “The goal is to be able to create other models that I will present in early spring 2025. I would like to create a sofa and a two-seater Zig Zag chair model. »

To discover his work, visit his Instagram account. In addition, Julien Vicario is currently working on the creation of a website.

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