Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Antonioni Sebaoun
Hi Andrea, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a Greek mother and an Italian father. Having grown up in Argentina, Mexico, and the United States, I always dreamed of settling in France. When we align our dreams with the right circumstances, they often come true. I’ve consistently balanced fantasy with pragmatism, which has been essential for a fulfilling life.
When we arrived to America, I grew up in Darien, Connecticut. My dad used to work for IBM, so we used to say I’ve Been Moved… Looking back I am so grateful for all the moves because I believe this is what formed me and my brothers as we grew up…I then graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, with a BA in Fashion Design and a minor in Photography. My rigorous training and organizational skills helped me win first prize in a nationwide competition during my senior year, which led to a two-year position in Spain with the largest shoe company in the U.S. at that time Intershoe, where I began designing shoes.
My enthusiasm, vibrancy, passion, and an insatiable thirst for new ideas and styles have always driven me. I eventually married my high school sweetheart, who happened to be the exchange student from France Senior year, he is my best friend and greatest supporter. Together, we’ve built a beautiful family with three children, aged 28 to 16. We’ve raised them in a cosmopolitan environment, speaking three languages—English, French, and Spanish—and ensuring they appreciate their diverse heritage, including it’s unique combination of nationalities, languages, and religions.
I believe that “everything is important.” Style reflects not only taste but also education and culture, revealing who you are. This belief has been my trademark, whether I was creating shoes, assisting my husband with his denim brand, DONOVAN, creating my own Shoe Line or even running my baking business in France.
I have never compromised on quality or shied away from hard work. I think this energy and discipline have allowed me to care for my family while advancing my career. I am a firm believer in lifelong learning, as there is always more experience to gain. Over the past 28 years in the shoe industry, I have designed for companies such as Intershoe the ”Jazz” Division, ”Parallele” in Paris, ”Unisa” USA and ”Unisa Europe”, ”Sonia Rykiel”, ”Corinne Sarrut”, and licensed brands like ”Cosmopolitan”, ”Jealous” and ”L’Officiele” , as well as my own brand, ”Andrea Antonioni”. I’ve also created a Baking Business “ Teacupcakes and More” in the Outskirts of Paris with my best friend the Ex-Governess of Khashoggi and baked galores for six years .
My love for cooking and sharing meals with friends and family inspired us to share our recipes and experiences.
So During the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to opened a restaurant in the heart of Paris’s 9th arrondissement, “Chez Dylan,” with our son Dylan.
Our ideas stemmed from our everyday lives, family, heritage, culture, and travels. So we combined our love of Fashion and my son’s acting years and we aimed to create beautiful things around Fashion, Acting, Music and Food, that tasted good and that bring joy to friends and family. Our recipes invited clients to join us on this new adventure, and there was nothing more fulfilling than seeing the smiles of those we make happy.
Our restaurant was about love and family, Fashion, Acting, Good food, Fun Drinks and an of course an Amazing Playlist, by our son Dylan—celebrating the different kinds of love that make life sweeter and more complex, yet ultimately worth living. It’s language was food—recipes we cherished and discovered on our travels, which we loved to cook at home. For us, food, whether simple or complex, is a way of saying “I love you.” Sharing it with others was incredibly rewarding, and having the whole family involved was just so very special.
I still remember the first question my husband asked when we decided to open a restaurant: “What is the most important thing about having a restaurant?” I replied, “It’s how we make people feel. The food will be good, but it’s the experience and how we make our guests feel that will keep them coming back.”
For nearly two years, we maintained a Google rating of 4.9, 9.4 on The Fork, and 5/5 on TripAdvisor, with heartfelt comments from guests from around the world.
The last two years have been the busiest of my life, juggling the restaurant, home, children, and pets, leaving little time for myself. Then, on December 9, 2023, we lost my mother. It was a profound loss, and the thought of my father being alone weighed heavily on me, especially since I had promised my mom I would be there for him and my older brother, Pablo, who has Down syndrome. Upon returning to France, my husband and I discussed the possibility of moving to Miami. Just two weeks after my arrival, our latest chef announced his departure. My husband and I exchanged glances and realized it was time to make a change. After two years of building four teams and navigating strikes and uncertainties in Paris, we decided to sell everything.
At times, I try not to dwell on everything we left behind, as it can lead me down a dark path. I knew that once we arrived in Miami, it was crucial for me to find a job to keep moving forward. I understand myself well.
Seeing how happy my dad is that we’re here, and how sweet and affectionate he is, brings me immense joy, and confirms the good choice we made in coming to Miami.
Shortly after our arrival, I found a fantastic job at Artefacto, a high-end luxury furniture business owned by a Brazilian family. I’m now their New Business Developer for Miami, Boca Raton, and Palm Beach, and I couldn’t be happier. This feels like the next chapter after our beautiful home, which was featured in several magazines. Interior design and architecture have always been my passions, and it seems the universe aligned for me in this new endeavor.
The most important thing now is that we are all together with my dad and Pablo, and that our children are here with us. My family means the world to me, and they’re desire to be with us shows the strong bond we’ve created. As long as they are with me, material possessions don’t matter. We are all slowly adapting to our new lifestyle—living in an apartment instead of a house, and adjusting to what we once had. Each day, I am grateful for everything we have, for the opportunity to live this life, and for waking up in the vibrant city of Miami. With each passing day, we grow more accustomed to our little slice of paradise. Miami is a magical place, and in the last years has grown into such a cosmopolitan city. You can go to a bar now and sit next to someone from South Africa, and on the other side have someone from Dubai, Spain or France.
When we lead with our hearts and live for love, the world rewards us with gifts that far exceed material possessions. We feel incredibly blessed to be together, sharing precious moments during my dad’s golden years and supporting Pablo, giving my dad the comfort and reassurance that they are both cared for, just as he always took care of my mom.
We have much to be grateful for. Life presents us with wonderful moments, and it’s up to us to notice and embrace them, taking the time to listen and be present.
When we where creating the restaurant, Brooke Shields launched her new project about adventures after 50, “ New Beginnings Begin Now” I thought, “Why not share my story?” I want to inspire women to know that we can start over at any age, change careers, and embrace new beginnings. If we aren’t a little scared, it would be too easy. To my surprise, my story was selected! I was honored to be part of this project as only 40 women world wide where selected, encouraging women to believe in themselves and realize that anything is possible. We should not fear failure or deny ourselves our true mission. It’s never too late to learn something new, open our hearts, and share our ideas with the world. After all, how can you fail if you’re having fun?
Here’s to women having the courage to embrace change, step out of the shadows, and prioritize themselves. Every day is a gift, and each day is a new beginning. I hope to Empower as many women that I come across in my new Adventure, as our Time is Now.
Thank you for allowing me to share a bit of my story..
Andrea Antonioni Sebaoun
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think there is such a thing as a smooth Road… There are always things that come up, obstacles, challenges, unexpected surprises, that make us stronger, that make us smarter, that make us more experienced and demanding, that eventually give us confidance, I think the most important is to stay healthy, we had a very scary moment with one of my children with a health issue and when something like that strikes you out of no where that is scary and that was a big struggle, but we held together as a family, and we made it threw the darkest moments. Nothing is ever certain, so one can never take things for granted. Life is the most precious thing we are ever given, we must not take it for granted.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We arrived in Miami end of July, and as soon as we were a bit settled I said to my husband we need to buy new beds, so we went to this store on Biscayne. ARTEFACTO….As I walked in I was in love, I felt like I belonged here, I looked at my husband and said , “ I’m going to work here” , he was like what!!!! As soon as I got home a friend called me and I told him and he said, “Andrea, why didn’t I think of that, you are perfect for Artefacto”…by the end of that day I had a job interview…. I am now ARTEFACTO’s New Business Developer out of the Aventura office, developing Miami, Boca Raton and the Palm Beach Area. I couldn’t be happier and so proud to be working for such a beautiful Luxury Brand, but what I love most is that it’s a family business that will soon be celebrating 50 years in the business. That is so remarkable and impressive. The Team is wonderful and very international, and most of the employees have been with ARTEFACTO for years, that for me says it all. I believe the universe lines up with us, we have to be attentive to the signs and then sees the opportunities. This is my next chapter and I hope it will be a long one as I see a great future full of new projects and opportunities with Artefacto. What I love most also is that it’s a company that moves towards the future and is always moving forward. The only way to be….
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Artefacto is a leading ultra-luxury furniture brand and manufacturer with nearly 50 years of experience. We specialize in every aspect of the luxury furniture industry— from design conception and production to stock, retail, and delivery to our clients’ homes. This comprehensive approach truly sets us apart in the market.
We are a one-stop shop, offering a wide range of products, including furniture, kitchens, closets, window and wall finishes, accessories, and even artwork. Our specialty lies in furnishing high-end residential properties for investment purposes, enhancing the interiors to facilitate quicker and more lucrative sales.
We’ve furnished some of the most sought-after buildings, collaborating with renowned names such as Zaha Hadid, St. Regis, Porsche Tower, Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, Richard Meier, and Antonio Citterio, among others.
Our team of experts excels at crafting warm and inviting spaces that are beautifully curated.
This meticulous attention to detail has resulted in elevated properties, leading to higher asking prices, increased offers, and reduced time on the market. In fact, we frequently sell properties in less than three months.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our products and services, please feel free to contact me directly.
I’m here to make your experience with Artefacto as enjoyable as possible.
andrea@artefacto.com
+1 305 619 7165
https://artefacto.com
Contact Info:
- Website: andrea@artefacto.com
- Instagram: Instagram account: @andrea-sebaoun_antonioni Instagram account: @chez_dylan_restaurant. Instagram account: @la_hacienda_azul
Image Credits
Chloe Savannah Sebaoun -Photographer and Stylist @bychloesavannah
