A day in the life of Charles Bonnet

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When you enter a decorator’s home, it’s reasonable to have certain expectations. Needless to say, we weren’t let down when we visited the Parisian apartment of Charles Bonnet, a decorator for Ralph Lauren. It’s furnished with great taste, impeccably renovated, welcoming, and features a huge library with a variety of books. Comfortably sat in an old family chair, with Johnny Cash playing in the background, Charles told us about pencil thin moustaches, cowboy outfits, and, you guessed it, Ralph Lauren.

Hello Charles, could you introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Charles Bonnet, I’m 32, and a decorator for Ralph Lauren. While it sounds super fancy, it’s a very demanding job! I have two children, and I’ve been married for seven years.

Tell us more about your job.

First and foremost, it’s a great job. it consists mainly in ensuring the maintenance and upkeep of Ralph Lauren stores - from mannequins, to decorations, carpet wear and tear, lighting, etc. The aim is to ensure the customer experience is the best they can get. I primarily tend to the three Parisian stores, but I’ve also worked on the London, Munich, Milan, and even Hamptons stores. I’m part of Ralph Lauren’s creative service department. I’ve worked there for six years.

How did you end up working in interior design?

It’s very much due to my family’s background, to be honest. My mother wanted to be a decorator, a career path my grandparents deemed not classy enough. So, she did something else while dreaming of one day opening a bookstore. She ended up achieving that goal, with her own bookshop in Fontainbleau, close to Paris. I was fortunate enough to grow up surrounded by the books in this shop, and with two open-minded parents who taught me to find the beauty and coolness in all things, from Johnny Hallyday records to old aristocratic English houses. I wasn’t brought up in a home where good taste was the absolute gospel. My father was very much into new technologies, and I had an Internet access very early on. I think that pushed me towards a creative career. I studied science and technology with a minor in advertising which lead to me entering an advertising school. I didn’t feel like I fit in, so I took some time off to think about my future while working at the family bookstore. I ended up finding a visual merchandising course at the Paris Chamber of Commerce. This was followed by an internship at Marithé+François Girbaud.

How long did you stay there?

Seven years. I worked my way up to Global Manager of the brand’s visual identity. During the last four years I spent at Marithé+François Girbaud, I had numerous interviews at Ralph Lauren. I’ve been very much in love with the brand since I was a kid. I’ll never leave - even if they kick me out (laughs).

Walk us through one of your typical days at work. Do you have an office?

I spend most of my time in stores. I’d say 80% of my time is spent at the Saint-Germain Ralph Lauren store in Paris’ 6th arrondissement. There, I work on the choice of flowers, vases, I rearrange carpets and mannequins, etc. Work trips are arranged around my family’s schedule. My children and wife come first. Ralph is second.

How does your role as a father play into your day-to-day organisation?

My family is the foundation I need to grow properly. My wife mostly takes care of my daughter who is still young, while I take care of my son. I wake up at 6:50, 7am. My son wakes me up. We have a hug, talk for a bit, and at 7:10 I head to the shower. My showers generally start off warm and finish rather cold. I use the Horace Virginia cedar/sage leaf shower gel because I love how it smells. I also use it for my son’s showers. I also use the Horace face cleanser. While its colour takes some getting used to, it has a very pleasant texture, and it always leaves my skin feeling soft. I only rarely wash my hair as it is very dry. I actually have to use pharmaceutical shampoo, but my son loves the Horace shampoo! After my shower, I shave, and we leave for school. I then go to work via metro line 1. I know at what time I start work, but never when I’ll finish: I work until everything I have to do is done. My work hours are flexible, so long as the work gets done.

You have a moustache. When did you start wearing one?

When I was 22, so 10 years ago, which is also when I started with my current haircut. I’m often called the moustache man! Both my dad and my granddad have moustaches. I have a close relationship with my maternal grandfather. I look a lot like him, and I let my moustache grow to look even more similar. I have a rather short pencil thin moustache, like Errol Flynn or Aldo Raine, Brad Pitt’s character in Inglourious Basterds. I’ve tried quite a few moustache styles, but this is the one that suits me most!

You must shave often, for obvious moustache maintenance reasons.

I shave every other day: on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I use a beautiful razor my wife got me with Proraso shaving products, which I’ve used since I first started shaving. I try to avoid eating before I shave so as to prevent blood rushing to the cheeks, and unnecessary cuts.

What’s the secret to a good moustache?

My advice is to first grow out a beard and then shave it down to a moustache. That way you don’t have to put yourself through the awkward intermediary/peach fuzz stage, which nobody likes. When it comes to maintenance, there are two schools: trimming with scissors, like my granddad did, or with a comb and clippers, like I do. It’s much simpler that way.

You said you’ve had the same hairdo and moustache for the past ten years. What’s your hair care routine like?

I’d be really bad at the #10yearchallenge: I have the same wife, the same haircut, the same moustache, and the same style. The only difference is that I now have two kids. As far as my hair is concerned, I’ve been going to Alain Maître Barbier for nine years. Some might say that Alain is pedantic and expensive, but he’s Paris’ last real barber. Going to get your hair cut at his shop is always pleasant. For example, I’ve never actually heard the phone ring while I was there. He plays classical music at certain hours of the day, and jazz at others, which is fine by me because I love both! He knows exactly what I want. It’s not something I’ve been able to replicate elsewhere. Being able to sit down, relax, and completely switch off is a luxury. I’ve even fallen asleep while getting my hair cut!

Working at Ralph Lauren must give you access to a variety of clothing. How large is your collection?

Very large. Thankfully my wardrobe has curtains rather than doors, otherwise it would never close. I love beautiful clothes, and 90% of what I own is Ralph Lauren. I’m fortunate enough to work for a brand that does great products. I never compulsively buy things I don’t need. I always aim for quality. The range of Ralph Lauren’s offer is so broad that I can dress as a cowboy, a wall street stock trader, or in head-to-toe workwear if I want to. If I’m out of ideas I can simply slip on a pair of chinos, an Oxford shirt, and a blazer. My friend Gauthier Borsarello and I have a theory: a man needs only 14 suits: 7 summer ones and 7 winter ones. With 14 suits and a few shirts and ties, you should be able to have enough clothes for the year. It certainly would make things easier for me! The truth of the matter is that I wear pretty much everything I own, which makes sorting and discarding anything super complicated.

You were telling me about the importance of books in your life, and your impressive bookshelf is impossible to miss. How much time do you spend reading? Do you draw inspiration from books for your work?

Books are a necessity. I always tell my son Louis to look things up in books when he needs to know something. I have books on everything from Ralph Lauren, obviously, to the Duke of Aumale, a fascinating man who entirely renovated the Château de Chantilly and owned an incredible private painting collection, and Indians, because I love westerns and I find their tribes captivating. My books help me stay curious and inspired.

Do you manage to log off from work easily?

I never really log off. Except when I’m on my holidays. I try to always be 100% into what I’m doing. However, if I get an important message, I answer immediately, even if I happen to be playing with my son. It’s easier to explain that you’re simply answering a message: children get that.