Words Paul Tierney Photography Guzman

Published in No 20

She’s inexhaustibly creative, on first name terms with Pharrell, and the go-to consultant for a swathe of high-end brands, including Moncler, Schiaparelli and Valentino.

He’s a fast-talking, award-winning video and film director, with a side order of wanderlust.

Together, Sarah and Philip Andelman are the powerhouse French/American couple garnering more accolades than seems reasonably fair. But they come armed with modesty and charm too — traits often lacking in people who have risen to the top of their respective professions.

“Ha!” exclaims Sarah from her Paris office, a space lined with shelves of books and pop-culture ephemera. “That’s nice of you to say, but of course I don’t see us as that kind of couple. I’ll admit, we are very harmonious. We make a good combination. Philip and I complete each other.”

“I guess we both have an innate sense of discovery,” agrees her husband, “but Sarah is to the power of 58!  I'm happy when we're together, somewhere like Tokyo, at a museum, or just in the gardens soaking it all in. I like discovery, but I like the sort of discovery where you slowly absorb things. For her, it's like, I need to see 79 things today so I can distil the three great things and share those three great things with the world.”

Sharing is at the heart of Sarah’s being — a self-proclaimed enthusiast who delights in connecting the dots. Whether that’s pairing apposite people, advising on logistics, or merely bringing inspiration to the table, she is an in-demand arbiter of taste. Which, of course, is almost a given considering her background.

In 1997, alongside her mother, Colette Roussaux, Sarah launched the pioneering Parisian concept store, Collette. Located on the Rue Saint-Honoré, this beautiful, before-its-time space sold fashion, art and “lifestyle” to a cachet-seeking customer, long before these places became an urban mainstay. With its curated selection of leftfield style, limited-edition collaborations and cutting-edge design, Colette was a cultural Mecca of legendary proportions. Presciently, it also sold this very magazine. The place closed its doors in 2017, but its legacy remains.

 “Obviously the store was great, but I don’t miss it,” she says without missing a beat. Happy to reflect on Collette’s success, she also retains healthy disregard for nostalgia. “I’m well aware it’s the place that made me, but it’s time to move on.”

Now, under the moniker Just An Idea (“one of my most used expressions”), Sarah’s consultancy agency also publishes art books — an ongoing series of smartly edited artist profiles that feel well-judged, accessible, and ultimately collectible objects in their own right.

“I’m always discovering new artists. From seeing shows in galleries, to scrolling through Instagram, there are so many fantastic individuals out there. The ones who catch my eye are the people with a singular vision. I love it when somebody is doing something I’ve never seen before. And that’s quite rare.”The Andelmans are also a rare breed. It’s unusual such a union can co-exist without rivalry or one-upmanship, but this pair rub together without friction, deftly balancing their thriving relationship with an ever-evolving home environment. They live between Paris and upstate New York, and while it’s quite a leap from Woodstock to Place Vendome, they say they feel equally at home on either side of the pond. “It’s the perfect combination,” enthuses Sarah. “Being upstate is for school holidays, summer, Halloween, Christmas. It’s an amazing area.” Continue reading in issue 20, our 10th anniversary issue.

Justanidea.com trippingwithphil.com

Paul Tierney is an arts, culture, and travel journalist, writing for W Magazine, The Guardian, El Pais, and The Independent. paultierneywrites.com & @paultierneysees

Guzman are represented by Veronique-Peres-Domergue.net @lesguzman