Meet the man who furnishes the UAE’s royal palaces

Dubai-based Cyril Barret has made bespoke furnishings for royal palaces, luxury private residences and high-end offices, yet the Frenchman’s heart lies in a dream project – a school to train craftsmen in world-class upholstery techniques. 

What does an upholsterer do?

The upholster has expertise in fabrics and furniture. They design and make customised sofas, arm chairs and cabinets as well as bespoke curtains and blinds.

How did you get interested in this field?

My love for upholstery happened quite by chance. When I was 15 years old I started working with an antique dealer after school for some pocket money in Bordeaux, France. I accompanied him once to a big exhibition in Paris where I got to see a range of period furniture. That experience kindled an interest in furnishings and at 18 I enrolled in the prestigious Les Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France, a French organisation of craftsmen and artisans where students learn traditional skills under a master.

Tell us about your training at the reputed Les Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France? How did it shape you professionally and personally?

The Compagnons du Tour de France follows a traditional mentoring concept wherein students get rigorous training under a master for three years in a particular craft. You live in a castle with other students, learn a craft and work simultaneously. We used to work six to seven days a week till very late at night. I was 18 years old when I enrolled in the course and was in the leather school. So demanding is the course that more than half of the students drop out before they finish the course. The training involved learning a variety of crafts including drawing a sample, sewing and selecting the fabric as well as other carpentry and upholstery works. The three years at the Compagnon not only instilled in me a lifelong passion for my work but it also taught me self-discipline, determination, a never-give-up attitude and to work in stressful situations, meeting tight deadlines.

Did you start working soon after graduating?

In fact I had started getting small orders while I was still studying. My work was appreciated and through word of mouth my reputation grew and so did the upholstery orders. In 1993, aged 21, I had set up my own company called Atelier Cyril Barret in a garage in my home town Bordeaux. As my work found more recognition I was able to open a bigger office in the city centre of Bordeaux. My work mainly involved bespoke sofas and armchairs and restoration of old furniture including family heirlooms.

So, what brought you from Bordeaux to Dubai?

In a word, opportunities. The first one came in 1998 when I got a chance to make customised furnishings for a huge palace in Muscat, Oman. I was invited by Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said, the Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers of Oman, to make all the furnishings in his 150-room palace. I was 27 and I spent the next four years shuttling between France and Muscat to complete this project. It proved to be a valuable learning experience. Although this palace was a successful project I did not think of moving my entire business to the Middle East until 2007. That year I opened my first showroom of Cyril Furniture in Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately, this proved to be a bitter experience and I had to shut up shop within a few months. I was hugely disappointed but still did not give up and opened yet another showroom in Dubai in 2008. By 2009, I was able to expand my business and buy a warehouse in Al Quoz. We started with just two people and today boast a staff of 145.

What does Cyril Furniture specialise in?

My team of skilled craftsman, who have been trained in Dubai, use hand-crafting techniques along with modern equipment to produce customised furnishings following the minutest desires of each client. The fabric and all the accessories (quilting, lining and hooks) are all sourced from Europe. The sofas and armchairs have solid wood frames made from fine timber. Our products are shipped across the world – from Canada to the UK, USA, Singapore, the entire Middle East and even India.

What is your signature style?

My personal style is to deliver as per the requirements of my clients, so we follow the designer’s and customer’s requests to the tee. Needless to say there is never a compromise on the quality of the products used.

Tell us about memorable and landmark projects that you are especially proud of?

A project close to my heart is the Abu Dhabi private airport of HH Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. We did all the furnishings, including the curtains and furniture, for the airport. The other milestone in my career has been the curtains that I made for the new Abu Dhabi presidential palace in Al Ras Al Akdhar. It was one of the biggest curtain projects in the world, involving 100 craftsmen who worked seven days a week for 18 months to make 70,000 metres of curtains for five palaces located across 160,000 square metres of space. Yet another project that is close to my heart is the palace in Ghantoot for the ruling family of Bahrain.

Any challenges you face at work?

The biggest challenge was leaving my country and moving to the UAE. When my first venture in Abu Dhabi failed, I was totally shattered. It was my never-say-die attitude that helped me to set up my business with a fresh start.

Where would we find you on a working day?

I reach my office in Al Quoz by 7.30 am. There are usually several meetings lined up with clients, designers and my own staff. I also visit all six warehouses where our craftsmen work every day. On a good day I am off from work by 5.30 or 6pm to play tennis and unwind. But if there is work then I am in the office until very late at night.

What qualities does a good upholster need?

They should be passionate about work, pay attention to detail and possess the will to learn all their life, as one needs to be well-informed about old and new trends in fabrics and furniture.

What is your dream project?

When I set up my firm I had a hard time finding trained craftsmen. There were many unpleasant situations as I was unhappy with the quality of people I was getting in the market. With time I understood that it’s not their fault as they just have not had the opportunity to get good training. That is why I hope to one day open a school to train poor craftsmen.