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Every now and then, our editorial team engages in meetings with personalities who embody the essence of WANT through their unique perspectives, visions of a better living, and overall sense of style. And since we think details make the whole difference, here is a questionnaire about the little (and big) things in life.

For this month's feature, WANT had the pleasure of meeting with Helena Soubeyrand, a french artist-illustrator based in Paris.

You may have seen her in TV series such as The Borgias (2013) or The Crown (2017), as Helena began her career as an actress. One day, she decided to follow her intuition and pursue her first love: drawing. Today, this talented illustrator is known for a signature trait that she showcases through live performances, and collaborations with renowned French houses such as Sisley, Violette, Ruinart, and Bompard. Let's dive in her poetic world.


You were first known as an actress. When and how did your passion for drawing begin?

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, since childhood. I even considered applying to the Lycée de Sèvres before eventually entering the Conservatoire, which led me to step away from drawing for a while. Still, I kept my love of repetition and my desire to tell stories to an audience, something I now rediscover through my live drawing performances.

How did you develop your simultaneous ambidexterity, which lies at the heart of some of your signature works?

I believe it was around 2016 that I began drawing with both hands. At first, it was something very natural and playful, without any particular intention behind it. My younger sister encouraged me to share those early drawings on social media. From there, I practiced a great deal to refine the precision of the gesture. It’s a bit like scales for a musician, hours and hours of training to find the right rhythm and symmetry. My first live performance was proposed by the Parisian venue Loulou Restaurant, during an evening organized for Art Basel Paris. That moment marked a turning point, because drawing became a shared experience with the audience.

Let’s talk about travel. Is there a place that has particularly inspired you? And more broadly, what inspires you?

I returned to Florence last year, and I think there is nothing more beautiful or fascinating to me than the Italian Renaissance. What moves me deeply about that period is the place it gives back to the human being, in connection with nature and the elements. There is a celebration of harmony that resonates strongly with my own work.

The Renaissance also carries the idea of an inner rebirth, the ability to continue celebrating the light within people even after confronting their darker sides. That tension between fragility and hope deeply moves me. The work that touches me the most is probably Primavera by Botticelli. To me, it celebrates the poetry of the world. And I truly believe we must continue to nurture that poetry, especially now.

You have collaborated with several brands, Bompard being the most recent. Do you have any upcoming projects for 2026 you can tell us about?

Yes, I’m currently collaborating with Toulemonde Bochard, a historic French house that has been creating contemporary rugs since the late 1940s. What I particularly appreciate about them is the way they treat the rug almost as a work of art in its own right. Each piece is conceived in collaboration with artists or designers and then handmade by artisans following traditional craftsmanship. The piece we created together is a rug that will be released in 2026. I approached it in the same way I approach my drawings and paintings, with a very symbolic perspective. I like the idea that this rug becomes a kind of landscape on the floor, both decorative and carrying a story.

Is there a moment in your career you are especially proud of?

The cover of Beau Magazine. I was given complete freedom to choose the photograph, the theme, and how it was produced. I’m proud of that cover—and of all the symbols people can discover in it if they wish.

My main character trait: Autonomy

The flaw I can’t forgive: Dishonesty

The thing that makes me angry: Contempt

Last time I laughed: With my children.

Last time I cried: Last month, at the Temple of Karnak in Egypt. It completely took my breath away.

One thing that amazes me: The beauty of what humans are capable of building through love and faith.

In love, I am: Wholehearted

In friendship, I am: Devoted

The quality I appreciate most in others: Empathy

The smell that moves me: It may sound strange, but I loved the damp smell of the attic at my grandparents’ house. It still moves me whenever I encounter it again.

A natural moment that soothes me : The sound of trees in the wind.

The gesture that comforts me: A real hug.

The ritual I cannot do without: My morning coffee.

The thing I’m most grateful for: My children’s health.

To disconnect, I: Struggle! (laughs)

What I believe in most: Empathy

How I imagine myself older: Living half the year in a large house near the ocean, surrounded by nature (though I also love living in Paris), with a huge light-filled studio and a dog.

Something I will never forget: Everything I went through to find my happiness.

Advice I would give my younger self: Trust your gut—it knows better than your mind.

Advice that stayed with me: We see what we believe.

A place where I could see myself living: The Basque Coast.

My dream destination: Japan.

A song that calms me: At Last by Etta James.

My idol (and why): I have several, but at the moment I would say Berthe Weil because we owe her so much.

The subject of my book or podcast: Psychogenealogy.

My favorite film (and why): About Time, because there is so much wisdom, beauty, and simplicity in it. It’s good for the soul.

My perfect day: Meeting with a team in the morning to work on a project, lunch with my sister, painting in the afternoon, picking up my children, then dinner in bed and a glass of wine with my husband while watching a great series.

My style: My uniform, jeans, a white T-shirt, and a crew-neck sweater.

My favorite WANT piece: The Logan Tote, an icon.

The project that challenged me the most: A project where I didn’t feel respected or heard. It was extremely therapeutic and formative. I got through it by surrounding myself with the right people and defending my rights, and it became a lesson I will never forget.

A cause close to my heart: Bringing people together.

My dream collaboration or project: I would love to work on a large-scale piece in a place of movement and exchange, like a train station or an airport. I find that idea fascinating.

Follow @helenasoubeyrand on Instagram to know more about her inspirations, her travels, her projects, and more.