Just a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Paris's Boulevard Saint-Germain lies a large three-story glass and wood house opening onto a charming little cobbled courtyard, home to a Japanese mineral garden. The nostalgic cosmetics brand Officine Universelle Buly (owned by the LVMH Group since October 2021) moved its headquarters here 18 months ago. Jean-Vincent Bully (with two Ls), the 19^th-century perfumer and cosmetician who gave his name to the brand, never lived within these walls.

On the other hand, 29 Rue Guénégaud was successively the headquarters of publishing house Editions du Seuil and WSN, organizer of the Who's Next women's fashion trade show. The relocation of the teams had become necessary. "Our offices were first set up on Rue de Saintonge, then split between Rue de Seine and Rue de Saintonge. Our desire was to bring activities together and take advantage of this to place mail order at the heart of the teams so that everyone has the best possible understanding of the brand, its products and its markets," said Victoire de Taillac, director of communications and image and co-founder of Buly with her husband, Ramdane Touhami.

An imposing candle diffuses the scent of rose and verbena, mingling with the fragrances of wood and polish. The house takes up 500 square meters, including the financial and management departments, which occupy the second and third floors. The ground-floor room has lost its impersonal open-space character thanks to the three large bookcases that cleverly demarcate the spaces, acting as storage for hundreds of products and eliminating the need for an ugly cupboard.

Perpetual motion

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