Olivier de Schrijver was born in 1958 in the Democratic Republic of Congo to an expatriate Belgian family, before returning to Belgium as a child. This dual influence of African roots and European upbringing had a profound effect on his creative sensibility, particularly in the relationship between memory, space and form. He studied industrial design in Belgium, which gave him the technical and conceptual foundations to develop a personal language.
Over the years, he founded his own design house, published under the name Ode's Design / Comme chez vous Art, through which he designs furniture, seating, lighting, mirrors and decorative objects. His approach is characterised by a desire to revisit the lines and shapes of the 1950s and 1960s, while reinterpreting them with a contemporary, often bold aesthetic. Some of his pieces combine noble materials, meticulous finishes, sculpted wood or shagreen, glass, metal and leather, in sometimes unexpected compositions.
Among his most emblematic creations is the "Ode à la femme"chair , a landmark work that illustrates his mix of Scandinaviandesign references, art nouveau motifs, pop influences and his predilection for organic shapes. His furniture frequently uses natural materials such as mahogany or teak, sometimes combined with leather straps or woven elements, giving his pieces a balance between comfort, elegance and exacting design standards.
Olivier de Schrijver doesn't limit himself to furniture. He also designs mirrors, lighting and decorative art objects, often in limited editions. His approach is that of a complete creator, oscillating between design, craftsmanship and personal expression. His work is regularly presented at auction and in galleries, demonstrating his recognition on the international contemporary design scene.
His body of work reflects a strong interest in the balance between use and aesthetics, personal and collectivememory, and the reinterpretation of forms from the past. Olivier de Schrijver embodies this generation of post-modern designers who see the object as a vehicle for cultural and sensual identity, insisting on material quality, detailed finishing and the narrative power of design.
