Emmanuel Delalain's education in the craft of furniture began in his family's atelier in the South of France. There, in a small village on the Mediterranean coast,
he worked from early childhood helping his father and grandfather build sailboats—and helping his mother, a chef, in the kitchen. His inspired ingenuity showed early:
As payment for his labor, young Emmanuel was allowed to use the tools and wood scraps from the shop to build a plane for fear he might actually succeed.