The Alphabet, Through Aglaé's Eyes
As part of the Nouvelle Vague pop-up in Sutton, LudoLudo is proud to present a very special collaboration: limited edition alphabets by Aglaé Bouchereau, an illustrator whose world weaves together nature, poetry and precision of line. We wanted to introduce her to you through her own words.
The Alphabet as Raw Material
For Aglaé, the alphabet is not simply a communication tool — it's a material to be sculpted. "It's the foundation of literature, of human communication. A raw form, like a stone that you carve and polish to give it meaning."
What moves her deeply is the duality at the heart of every letter: something highly codified, and yet full of infinite possibilities. The same letter can exist in thousands of forms, typographies, scripts, carrying a different intention depending on the hand that draws it.
Her relationship with the alphabet is also deeply personal. It takes her back to a childhood memory: a canvas embroidered by her great-grandmother, with orange letters against a botanical background. An image that shaped her sensibility without her even realizing it. In her illustration work, long curved lines have become her guiding threads. In this alphabet, letters are not simply signs to be read - they are forms that structure movement and guide the eye.
A Double Intention Behind Every Letter
Aglaé approached this project with two distinct but deeply connected ambitions.
The first is pedagogical: to create a visual playground where children can observe, search, and make connections. A for apple, V for viper - a simple logic, but never a simplistic one.
The second is more contemplative: to share her sense of wonder for the living world. Nature, fauna, flora — in all their singularity and complexity. She deliberately chose not to smooth out or simplify forms — on the contrary, she wove in elements that are sometimes more demanding, to invite a closer look, to spark questions, to encourage learning.
"This alphabet speaks to children and adults alike. I love the idea that it can meet people at different levels, and grow with whoever is looking at it."
And then there is something more intimate at play: Aglaé herself learned while creating this alphabet. Perhaps that is what she most wants to pass on - an active curiosity, an attentive gaze on the world. That capacity for wonder that children carry so naturally, and that adults sometimes forget to nurture.
"This alphabet is an invitation to observe and rediscover the richness of nature, letter by letter."
Available in Limited Edition
Aglaé's alphabets, along with individual letter cards, will be available exclusively at the Nouvelle Vague pop-up in Sutton, May 8, 9 & 10 at 128 Chemin du Mont-Écho. Limited edition: once they're gone, they're gone.