Mérode atelier

In June 2024, The Merode Club’s Salon Bleu was transformed into a luminous sanctuary — a contemporary candle workshop blending tradition, artistry, and ritual. This special one-night-only event offered an immersive installation and live atelier experience, centered around the mesmerizing candle sculptures of Belgian designer Hélène del Marmol.

Celebrated for her experimental and poetic approach to candle making, Hélène del Marmol presented a series of sculptural candles crafted entirely from plant-based wax using an ancient hand-dipping technique. Each candle was dipped manually, with no mechanical movement involved, making the process profoundly slow and meditative. A cotton wick was dipped into melted wax up to 70 times to reach a final diameter of approximately 6.5 cm. As a result, each of the 600 candles created for the installation was entirely unique — shaped subtly by the hand that made it and the rhythm of the wax.

The Salon Bleu was reimagined as a modern ciergerie, where members could enter the candle-making space, explore the artworks, and select a candle of their choice. As part of the experience, their chosen candle was given a final dip in warm wax in front of them — a ceremonial act that added a personal touch before the candle was wrapped and offered as a keepsake.