The select interview with Thibault de Saint Vincent, Chairman of Barnes immobilier, visionary and entrepreneur at heart.
Paris Select had the honor of meeting Thibault de Saint Vincent, founder and chairman of the Barnes Group, a key player in the high-end real estate market.
In 1994, Thibaut de Saint Vincent co-founded this prestigious company with his wife, Heidi Barnes. Together, they have built a real estate empire renowned for excellence and continuous innovation. A visionary and entrepreneur at heart, Thibault de Saint Vincent never stops pushing the boundaries, constantly incorporating innovations into the luxury real estate sector. Passionate about art and culture, he strives to make French art shine on the international stage through his projects and collaborations. We’re delighted to delve into the world of this dynamic businessman and discover the secrets of his success and his aspirations for the future of Barnes. He welcomes us to Maison Boissière, his brand-new luxury hospitality concept in Paris.
Paris Select: Why did you decide to enter the hospitality business with Maison Boissière?
Thibault de Saint Vincent: We recently launched our hospitality business. Why do you ask? To create a lasting, high-quality relationship with our customers, in places that we tailor-make for them. Maison Boissière is a perfect example. Maison Boissière, located near the Trocadéro, now offers 16 apartments with 5-star hotel services. These are apartments, not rooms. These apartments are decorated like houses, with all the necessary services. These include housekeeping, a fully equipped kitchen, and a choice of 7 in-home chefs. These chefs offer a variety of cuisines. You can also entertain guests in the apartments, in the garden or in the common areas of the buildings.
PS: Why did you choose to locate Maison Boissière in the 16th arrondissement, near the Trocadero?
TSV : The Trocadéro has the advantage of a privileged location, attracting both French and international clientele. It’s close to many points of interest, including the Eiffel Tower, the Left Bank districts and the Place de l’Étoile. It’s a highly sought-after area where we have several offices close by, enabling us to welcome our customers interested in buying or renting property in Paris. It’s also an ideal location for “digital nomads“. This growing population regularly moves between major cities such as London, Paris and Dubai. These customers, often on the move for medium-term stays, find here an ideal pied-à-terre for stays of a week or more.
PS: You worked with architects and decorators Philippe Daraux, Manon Mallac Koenig and Pierre Frey. What atmosphere did you want to create at Maison Boissière?
TSV: The idea was to create a confidential space. A space where family and friends could be received in complete tranquillity. The choice of location was therefore crucial: two 1930s buildings surrounding a garden, offering a little cocoon of greenery and calm. This was the first thing we wanted to offer our customers. Then, for the decor, we opted for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. In collaboration with Manon Mallac Koenig, we designed a space that feels like home, with lots of fabrics, colors and elements that create a comfortable and familiar atmosphere.
PS: How does Maison Boissière make customers feel“at home“?
TSV: The aspect that reinforces this feeling of “home” is the creation of dressing trunks. When customers leave, they can leave their suits, shirts, toiletries and even a few family photos. On his next visit, everything will be reinstalled just as he left it. Barnes has an extensive file of several hundred thousand customers, around 20% of whom are international. We presented this trunk-dressing offer to these customers, and many of them expressed interest. They’re looking for something more personalized than a standard hotel room or service apartment.
PS: You recently opened in New York. How did you get on?
TSV: In New York, we opened a new concept called Maison Barnes. It’s more focused on the experience, with two restaurants, a bar and numerous private lounges dedicated to events around the French art of living. We recently opened a magnificent 1500 m² space on Park Avenue, in partnership with Michelin-starred chef Daniel Bouju. The decor, by Stéphane Henrico and Ateliers de Ricou, is also inspired by the style of the 1930s, with references to Gustave Eiffel.
We’re planning a number of events focusing on French know-how and passion sports such as golf, hunting, jumping, polo and yachting. For example, Nicolas Colsaerts, one of the world’s top 20 golfers, will come and play a game of virtual golf with our customers, followed by a lunch or dinner where they can chat with him. We will also be organizing a private concert with a Stradivarius in October, where we will present this exceptional instrument to our customers.
PS: How have you managed to create and maintain privileged relationships with wealthy customers?
TSV: We’ve always maintained a special relationship with our customers through a number of events. These have often been organized with renowned partners, often luxury houses. For example, we have worked with Chanel, Cartier and many LVMH brands. for exclusive events. When we organize events around the art of living, we put forward people representing various fields related to this art of living. These encounters are numerous, as 70% of our customers, known as ultra-high-net-worth individuals, are wealthy families, the majority of whom are entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs are often fascinating people, with rich stories to tell. We illustrate these encounters in our Barnes magazines, published twice a year. Each issue features the cover story of a visionary luxury entrepreneur we’ve met, either as a partner or a customer.
Then there was Yannick Alléno, an entrepreneur who is first and foremost a renowned chef. In addition to his famous restaurant, Pavillon Ledoyen, he has numerous projects and restaurants in the pipeline. Christian Louboutin and Richard Mille are also among our most memorable encounters. We worked with Philippe d’Ornano, founder of the Sisley brand. His products can be found in all our homes, including Maison Boissière and our Barnes vacation rentals. We’ve also met Frédéric Rouzaud from Maison Roederer and Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger and his daughter Vitalie. They’ve been with us for a long time. All these enriching encounters are what we want to share with our customers, enabling them to experience unique and unforgettable moments with exceptional personalities.
PS: Your children have joined Barnes. What values would you like them to perpetuate?
TSV: First of all, Barnes is a family business created by my wife Heidi Barnes de Saint Vincent. We’ve had four children together, and it’s clear that we didn’t create this company to sell it. It’s a business we intend to pass on to our children, with the intention of keeping it in the family. The first value is trust. It’s crucial to create and earn the trust of our customers. Without this trust, no relationship is possible. The second value is excellence. We must reflect this excellence in the quality of our work, our service, and the goods we present.
Elegance is also an important value. Another key value is vision. At Barnes, the aim is not to make a sale next week. The aim is to accompany the customer over the long term, for 30 or 40 years. Finally, global and local support is a core value. We have to be able to support our customers locally, offering them services that go far beyond the acquisition of a property.
