Kristina Vilyams captures a picture using the Ouhlala Foam Mirror Instagram effect
OUHLALA FOAM MIRROR
Ouhlala Le Shop x Kristina Vilyams
January 2020
Collaboration with Ouhlala Le Shop on the creation of the Ouhlala Foam Mirror, a try-on effect that captured the gallery’s whimsical spirit and brought it into people’s homes during the 2020 lockdown.
The effect amassed over 31 million impressions on Meta platforms and was featured in Architectural Digest.
Rooted in Paris yet shaped by a global sensibility, Ouhlala Le Shop has emerged as a refined destination for contemporary design with emotional depth. Founded by stylist and trend forecaster Carole Hours and creative director Frans McCabe, the platform brings together artists and designers whose work resists categorization—objects chosen not for trends or conventions, but for the reactions they provoke. This intuitive, experience-led approach has become the gallery’s defining signature.
Ouhlala Le Shop: Curated Objects, Emotional Design
Ouhlala Le Shop is a Paris-based online gallery and boutique dedicated to supporting artists and designers whose work challenges, elevates, and reimagines everyday life. Positioned between art and design, the platform offers carefully selected objects that blur the boundaries between functional design and emotional expression.
Founded by stylist, trend forecaster, and creative director Carole Hours, alongside co-founder Frans McCabe, creative director at Rosbeef, Ouhlala Le Shop reflects a shared belief in the power of singular objects. Hours brings over a decade of experience working with trend offices and international brands, while McCabe—Scottish-born, Stockholm-based, and shaped by a life lived across cultures—contributes a sensibility grounded in movement, tactility, and surprise.
Carole Hours pictured with the Foam Mirror by Ouhlala Le Shop. Courtesy of Ouhlala Le Shop
At its core, Ouhlala Le Shop is guided by emotion rather than formalism. The selection favors experimental craftsmanship, unexpected contrasts, and expressive forms—pieces chosen for the reactions they provoke as much as for their aesthetic presence. The name itself, Ouhlala, speaks to moments of wonder, fascination, and gentle disruption: objects that invite curiosity, touch, and personal interpretation.
By creating a space where unique and singular works are accessible beyond traditional gallery contexts, Ouhlala Le Shop offers a way to illuminate interiors with meaning. Each piece is positioned not simply as décor, but as an encounter—one that reflects the founders’ belief that beauty can emerge through affinities, encounters, and the subtle tension between art, design, and everyday life.
Foam Mirror by Ouhlala Le Shop. Courtesy of Ouhlala Le Shop
Ceramic tray and candlestick by Ouhlala Le Shop. Courtesy of Ouhlala Le Shop
