Denis Lagarde is renowned as anartisan knifemaker, recognised for the distinctiveness and originality of its folding knives with an ever-innovative style.

Based in Val d’Oise, Denis actively works to promote handmade cutlery. Every year, he organises the Vaurélames exhibition near his workshop, a key event generally held in May.

When Denis, then in his fifties, was made redundant from his job as a graphic designer in 2016, his children were already independent. It was then that he decided to embark on a career change, choosing to follow his passion. In his workshop in Vauréal, Denis Lagarde devotes himself fully to creating his knives.  

From designing the sketches and cutting the blades from steel, through to the meticulous finishing of the handles, every stage is carried out carefully and precisely by his own hands.  

Each unique piece is sold at an approximate price ranging from €60 to €300. Making a single knife can require anything from one morning to three full days of work.  

For Denis, it is never too late to follow one’s passions. At the age of 52, this father from this cutlery officially became an artisan cutler in 2017. Based at the Cour des Arts in Vauréal, he creates pocket, table and kitchen knives from A to Z.  

His interest in cutlery was sparked during a trip to Thiers, the capital of cutlery in France, where he attended an introductory course given to him by his wife for his 40th birthday. Since that experience, his passion for this art has never stopped growing.