Doyenne of style Edith Petit (pictured in her studio below), has helped thousands of women stay organised and on trend, with Tintamar’s ‘very Intelligente Pocket’. She tells us how travel and textures influence her approach

How did you come up with the idea for Tintamar?
I used to ride around on my bicycle with my son on the back and my bag in the basket at the front, and I seemed to always be loaded down or searching for the things I needed in my bag. At the time I was working for Givenchy and I realised I needed a functional bag that was also stylish, so I came up with the prototype for the Cyclobag – a round bag that attaches to a bike’s handlebars. All my designs are based on things I need and use myself.

Where do you get your inspiration for colour and design?
From magazines and the fashion shows, from daily life and often from travel.

Which countries have you been to and how have they influenced you?
I go to Japan two to three times a year; I often go to the US; I travel a lot in Europe and I lived in Côte d’Ivoire for four years – my youngest son was born there. All the trips are the catalysts and source of inspiration. However, I’m just as inspired by daily life at home too, I’m always thinking of ideas when I go to the market or ride my bike around La Rochelle.

What inspires you about France and in particular La Rochelle?
I grew up on a farm in the countryside but have always loved the architecture in cities like New York, Hong Kong and Sydney. But La Rochelle is inspiring because it’s by the ocean and the tide is constantly changing, so it’s always different. I like this because, like the sea, I’m always on the move too. I can’t stay still – which is very difficult for my husband!

How do you organise your ideas?
I always carry a notebook to scribble things down when inspiration strikes – it’s full of lists and ideas for colours, textures and materials. And I always have a camera with me to take pictures of anything that inspires me – from new materials to the way the light falls on something, textures, flowers, animals – absolutely everything!

How do you design?
From my background at the fashion houses I know how to put a concept together and focus on what products we need, and then I have a full team of designers in the UK, France and other countries who sketch and draw the products. The ideas come from my background, culture and experience but Tintamar products are not just ‘made in France’ designs – they fit into the lifestyles of women all over the world.