Renata Libal, Editor-in-Chief of the swiss lifestyle publication ENCORE !
Gaëlle, who are you?
Small impressionist portrait, in 4 questions for a beautiful personality who sees life in soft green.
What got into you, as someone involved in the world of luxury communication, to venture into creating an ecological fable?
I grew up between Neuchâtel and Valais and my childhood memories are punctuated by meals in wooden huts in the middle of the vineyards, walks along the bisses (historical irrigation channels), and harvesting grapes with my cousins. My grandfather also raised cows and I can still taste the first milk he made us drink…
So while I may have become a city girl, my feet remain firmly rooted in the soil. I continue to be nurtured and filled by nature.
As for the luxury sector, for which I regularly work, I am especially sensitive to the emotions and know-how behind creations. I have a resolutely sentimental relationship with objects.
And so here you are decoding the mysteries of nature for children…
It all started while talking with my daughter, Jade. When she was a little girl and asked me about my job, I explained to her that I wrote stories for adults. And suddenly, it became obvious to me to write some for little ones too. I wanted to share with her – and with the children of her generation – the enchantment I experienced growing up in the great outdoors.
It only takes three trees for a child to build a kingdom…
It is important for me to contribute to this magical bond that binds us to nature, to try to understand – and help others understand – how much we humans can learn from the models it offers us… We have so much to learn from it!
How did you manage to ensure your scientific credibility?
As a journalist, I have gathered a lot of documentation from reliable sources, from recognized organizations.
I also studied law, so I’ve infused it with all the rigorous discipline I have been trained to exercise.
At the end of the process, I gave my text to be proofread by nature lovers, such as the woodcutter at the Château de Vullierens estate. Based on his suggestions, for example, I amended some sentences on the art of gardening and the need for human intervention in the landscape. I didn’t want children to start screaming at the sight of pruning shears!
Portes des Iris, the wonderful garden between Lausanne and Geneva, on a balcony overlooking Lake Geneva, plays a major role in nourishing your imagination…
We did indeed get married there, and my husband Vincent and I are very sensitive to the flamboyant energy radiating from this place. Moreover, we wished for an open-air ceremony, because we both feel that nature embodies the reality of a superior force. In terms of nature as a whole,
I also deeply enjoy going to the mountains, immersing myself in their serenity, as well as in a sense of grandeur and power.