Travel Journal, October 2025

Félicie
Nov 30, 2025
4 min read

"Craving for embroideries 🐲"

Summer already feels like a distant memory, and I can’t wait to take you on another fascinating journey!

This month, I’m delighted to introduce you to Stéphanie, a wonderful woman who shares my passion for China and whose lifestyle is sure to inspire you. I’ll also tell you about the upcoming Voyageuses pop-up at the Brach Hotel this week and share a few of my favorite discoveries of the month.

A Voyageuse Portrait: Stéphanie and Chinese Embroidery

Stéphanie, a French travel enthusiast, is the founder of the home linen brand Studio Noosh. We met in Shanghai while we were both launching our own brands, inspired by the unique energy of China and the challenges of entrepreneurship.

With a background in e-commerce, Stéphanie moved to Shanghai in 2018 and founded Studio Noosh in 2020. She still lives there today and embodies a certain French art de vivre while sharing her love of gastronomy, Chinese embroidery, and the Chinese culture that inspires her creations. Her designs reinterpret traditional Chinese motifs on beautifully crafted linens, carefully sourced in Europe.

As an early admirer of her home linens embroidered with pagodas, lanterns, vases, and other chinoiserie-inspired motifs, I am delighted to offer a selection of her embroidered napkin sets on the Voyageuses e-shop.

I want napkins

Stéphanie’s China

1. Why do you love China and Shanghai so much?

First of all, I am grateful to have discovered China through my own eyes rather than through the often reductive lens presented by European media.

In daily life, I appreciate how practical, efficient, and pragmatic everything is here. Chinese people never stop moving forward. They find solutions, innovate, and adapt—an energy that perfectly matches my own personality.

Shanghai is a fascinating city: dynamic, international, and bold, yet paradoxically very human. A metropolis of more than 26 million inhabitants that sometimes feels like a large village.

I also appreciate the remarkable sense of safety, the way modernity and tradition coexist, and the unique ability of the city to blend futuristic skyscrapers with century-old lilongs.

What impresses me most about China is the speed of its development, its ability to improve living conditions for so many people, and the profound social transformations taking place today.

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel through many regions—from Yunnan to Ningxia, from Tibet to Xinjiang—each with its own landscapes, traditions, and craftsmanship. China is an endless journey filled with extraordinary cultural diversity.

2. A place

The Bund.

It is truly one of the most unique places in the world. On one side, the futuristic towers of Pudong symbolize modern China; on the other, the historic Art Deco and neoclassical buildings from the early 20th century, inherited from Shanghai’s international concessions.

A walk along the Bund at sunset perfectly captures the soul of Shanghai—a meeting point between past and future, East and West.

3. A restaurant

Sichuan Citizen.

Located in the former French Concession, it is a Chinese restaurant that remains very welcoming for international visitors and where I love bringing guests.

The menu is varied, colorful, and delicious—an excellent introduction to Sichuan cuisine. Their hot and sour soup is a true delight, and their signature cocktail, the “Basil Drop,” is equally memorable.

4. A hotel

The Peninsula Shanghai.

Located on the Bund, it is a place of rare elegance where refinement meets history.

I love its spectacular views of the skyline, its historic building, its Art Deco-inspired interiors reminiscent of 1920s Shanghai, and the cocktails at Sir Elly’s Bar.

A tribute to old-world glamour and the perfect place to experience Shanghai’s timeless charm.

5. A souvenir to bring back

A blue-and-white porcelain jar.

Historically used to store and transport tea or precious spices, it is now often repurposed as a vase or lamp base.

A timeless chinoiserie piece.

6. Anything else you'd like to add?

Yes. I would encourage everyone to discover China for themselves.

Look beyond the clichés. Come with an open mind and an open heart.

Visitors can now travel to China for up to one month without a visa, making this the perfect moment to explore the country.

China offers more than 5,000 years of history, traditions, arts, and human encounters. It is a fascinating, vibrant, and deeply human culture that inspires me every day in my work and my vision of beauty.

The Voyageuses Event

You can discover these embroidered napkins alongside the Voyageuses collection during our pop-up at the Brach Hotel (1–7 Rue Jean Richepin, Paris 16th arrondissement), from Thursday October 9th to Sunday October 12th.

The event is organized by the wonderful Amandine Lugnier, known for her carefully curated selection of fresh and emerging brands. 😁

Découvrez le Brach

My Recommendations for the Month

Enjoy lunch or afternoon tea at Bakewell Café—I am a huge fan of their scones and other British-inspired pastries.

Treat yourself to Hermès speakers in their beautiful leather colors, as well as the new Belle-Île bag, which would pair perfectly with the Voyageuses Safari Jacket. You’ll have to wait for the Spring/Summer 2025 collection for the bag, but the Safari Jacket is already available and perfect for this season. 😉

I also recommend the JB Greuze exhibition at the Petit Palais, particularly for its beautifully painted portraits of children and family scenes, remarkably natural for the period.

And finally, the latest photography book, Lumière, by French Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard. All proceeds from the book are donated to his charity, Karuna-Shechen, which works to alleviate extreme poverty and empower disadvantaged communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet, and recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

As I mentioned last month, I had the privilege of meeting Matthieu Ricard during my trip to Nepal and was immediately charmed by his warmth and generosity.