Story & Lesson Highlights with Clarisse Baqué of France

Clarisse Baqué shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Clarisse, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Yes, absolutely. In many ways, I built the kind of studio I was always looking for in other kind of service providers — a space where the work goes deeper than just “making things look pretty.”, a space where you truly matter.

I would hire me because I offer the kind of high-touch, thoughtful experience I value most: integrity at every step, a true partnership rather than a transaction, and a process that honors the heart of someone’s story. I know what it’s like to feel unseen or reduced to a brief, so I built my process — especially The Heart Library™ — to ensure my clients never feel that way.

I’d hire me for the way I translate someone’s essence into visuals that feel like them, and for the care I put into making the whole experience feel grounded, collaborative, and meaningful.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Clarisse, the founder of Soulspell Studio, a brand and web design studio that helps creative entrepreneurs and small business owners turn the essence of who they are into brands people can truly feel.

What makes my approach different is that I don’t start with a traditional design brief : I start with people’s stories. I created a process called The Heart Library™, which helps my clients reconnect with the memories, emotions, and aesthetic threads that have shaped them. We use that as the foundation for their visual identity, so their brand feels deeply personal and aligned, not just trendy.

I’ve been in design for more than 14 years, working for heritage brands like Dior, Guerlain, and Givenchy before starting Soulspell Studio. Today, I focus on smaller, heart-driven businesses because I love the intimacy of helping someone’s vision finally feel at home in the world.

I’m always refining my offers so that the experience feels like a sanctuary — for both my clients and myself — always exploring ways to bring more creatives into this work. I want brands to feel less like a mask and more like a homecoming.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
I’ve been lucky to have incredible mentors, but the one who shaped me most early on was the creative director I worked under when I started in design at 19. She had decades of experience in luxury and an eye for both the big picture and the tiniest details. She taught me not just about design itself, but about how to think, how to listen to a client, how to translate an abstract feeling into something visual, and how to hold the standards of excellence that brands like Dior or Guerlain demand.

But honestly, the people who keep teaching me the most are my clients. Every project asks me to see the world through someone else’s story and to grow as a designer and as a human. I’ve learned that design is never just about aesthetics — it’s about empathy and connection — and my clients remind me of that every time we create something new together.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I think the fear that’s held me back the most has been the fear of being seen. For a long time, speaking up for myself — whether in a meeting, in front of a group, or even just showing my face on social media — felt overwhelming. I worried about being judged, about saying the wrong thing, about taking up space.

It’s something I’ve worked on a lot over the years. I’ve learned that being “visible” doesn’t have to mean forcing myself into ways of showing up that feel unnatural. For example, with social media, I’ve found a way to share my face and my work that honors my own capacity, I don’t have to talk to the camera every day, I can show up in quieter, more intentional ways.

That shift has been huge for me. The fear is still there sometimes, but it doesn’t run the show anymore. It’s more like a quiet companion I’ve learned to walk with.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I don’t think I’ve ever admired anyone for their power, only for their character! Power on its own doesn’t impress me; in fact, it can be meaningless, or even dangerous, if it isn’t guided by integrity.

What I deeply admire in people is the way they carry their influence, the ones who lead with empathy, authenticity, and transparency. Those who have the courage to stay true to their values, even when it’s inconvenient or less glamorous.

Integrity is one of my own guiding values, so I’m drawn to people who keep their word, who treat others with respect no matter their title, and who use whatever influence they have in service of something meaningful.

It’s not the loud voices or the powerful positions that inspire me, it’s the quiet strength of someone whose actions consistently align with their values.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I think one thing I understand deeply is that what moves people isn’t surface-level beauty or clever strategy, but meaning.

I’ve seen over and over that a brand (or even a piece of design) becomes magnetic not because it’s trendy or polished, but because it carries a piece of someone’s soul. Most people focus on the outer layer — the logo, the colors, the website — but what really resonates is the story underneath, the memories and emotions that shaped it.

That’s why I built my Heart Library™ process. I know that when we take the time to uncover someone’s lived experiences, their personal “why,” we can translate that essence into something visual that others can feel before they even read a word.

It’s the same in life, too: the quiet, intangible things — care, depth, trust — are what give everything else its power. A lot of people look for the formula, but I’ve learned that connection is the real foundation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://soulspellstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulspellstudio

Image Credits
@chloeduhoo for the first photograph, the one of me