Les Petites Mains à Paris

November 25, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

An illustrated journal describing my time studying Haute Couture embroidery at École Lesage in Paris, France! This was truly a dream come true for me and my embroidered adventures continued when I began my career as a Haute Couture, working for Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Fendi, Valentino, Givenchy and lots more!

In very exciting news, these tales will be published in the coming months and available for everyone to purchase as an inspiration and candid description of the sparkling joys and knotty challenges I encountered along the way!

Featured

Nov 25, 2019

Les Petites Mains à Paris

Nov 25, 2019

Sep 7, 2019

Fried Frères: A Cornucopia of Beads and Sequins

Sep 7, 2019

Jul 28, 2019

Mokuba: a Japanese Passementerie in Paris

Jul 28, 2019

Jul 21, 2019

Au Ver à Soie: the Finest French Silk Threads

Jul 21, 2019

Jul 8, 2019

Maison Legeron: the Fanciest Feathers and Flowers

Jul 8, 2019

Jun 22, 2019

Ultramod: The Oldest Haberdashery in Paris

Jun 22, 2019

Jun 15, 2019

The Origins of Haute Couture: from Rue de la Paix to Le Sentier

Jun 15, 2019

Jun 3, 2019

Au Revoir École Lesage!

Jun 3, 2019

A 1950s Floral Confection

Jun 3, 2019

Jun 2, 2019

Les Midinettes

Jun 2, 2019

Mar 20, 2019

Paraffection

Mar 20, 2019

Mar 15, 2019

Et Voilà! La Pièce de Résistance...

Mar 15, 2019

Jul 7, 2018

Arabesque Accents

Jul 7, 2018

Jul 6, 2018

Flights of Fancy

Jul 6, 2018

Jul 5, 2018

Golden Highlights

Jul 5, 2018

May 16, 2018

Silk Flowers and Strenuous Hours

May 16, 2018

Apr 22, 2018

Dancing Deer

Apr 22, 2018

Apr 15, 2018

Embroidered Scallops

Apr 15, 2018

Ornate Details

Apr 15, 2018

Apr 8, 2018

Brilliant Blooms

Apr 8, 2018

Mar 28, 2018

Les Grands Magasins

Mar 28, 2018

Mar 18, 2018

Adding a Dramatic Flourish

Mar 18, 2018

C'est la Haute Couture

Mar 18, 2018

Mar 10, 2018

The Timeless Allure of Maison Sajou

Mar 10, 2018

First Things First

Mar 10, 2018

On y va!

Mar 10, 2018

Dec 19, 2017

Saving the Best for Last

Dec 19, 2017

Dec 3, 2017

Pulling my hair out!

Dec 3, 2017

Dec 3, 2017

Bibliothèque Forney

Dec 3, 2017

Nov 26, 2017

Sequinsational

Nov 26, 2017

Textile Tours of Paris Rebecca Devaney
- Oct 15, 2017 Les Petites Mains
- Oct 15, 2017 Paris, Je t'Aime!
- Oct 24, 2017 Discovering the Lunéville Hook
- Nov 5, 2017 Samplers of Seduction
- Nov 12, 2017 The History of Tambour Embroidery: from Brabanki, India to Lunéville, France
- Nov 13, 2017 More Haste Less Speed
- Nov 13, 2017 Marché St Pierre
- Nov 26, 2017 Coming, going, rolling and filling...
- Nov 26, 2017 Sequinsational
- Dec 3, 2017 Bibliothèque Forney
- Dec 3, 2017 Pulling my hair out!
- Dec 19, 2017 Saving the Best for Last
- Mar 10, 2018 On y va!
- Mar 10, 2018 First Things First
- Mar 10, 2018 The Timeless Allure of Maison Sajou
- Mar 18, 2018 C'est la Haute Couture
- Mar 18, 2018 Adding a Dramatic Flourish
- Mar 28, 2018 Les Grands Magasins
- Apr 8, 2018 Brilliant Blooms
- Apr 15, 2018 Ornate Details
- Apr 15, 2018 Embroidered Scallops
- Apr 22, 2018 Dancing Deer
- May 16, 2018 Silk Flowers and Strenuous Hours
- Jul 5, 2018 Golden Highlights
- Jul 6, 2018 Flights of Fancy
- Jul 7, 2018 Arabesque Accents
- Mar 15, 2019 Et Voilà! La Pièce de Résistance...
- Mar 20, 2019 Paraffection
- Jun 2, 2019 Les Midinettes
- Jun 3, 2019 A 1950s Floral Confection
- Jun 3, 2019 Au Revoir École Lesage!
- Jun 15, 2019 The Origins of Haute Couture: from Rue de la Paix to Le Sentier
- Jun 22, 2019 Ultramod: The Oldest Haberdashery in Paris
- Jul 8, 2019 Maison Legeron: the Fanciest Feathers and Flowers
- Jul 21, 2019 Au Ver à Soie: the Finest French Silk Threads
- Jul 28, 2019 Mokuba: a Japanese Passementerie in Paris
- Sep 7, 2019 Fried Frères: A Cornucopia of Beads and Sequins
- Nov 25, 2019 Les Petites Mains à Paris

Mokuba: a Japanese Passementerie in Paris

July 28, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

Passementerie

Passementerie describes the elaborate trimmings used to decorate clothing and interior upholstery. They include ribbons, lace, tassels, braiding, gallons, fringing, cord, piping, pompoms and so on. It also describes the craft of making these trimmings. In 16th century France the guild of Passementier was established and it took seven years of apprenticeship before becoming a master craftsperson. The French passementiers supplied the elite royalty and aristocracy of Europe with lavish quantities of passementerie to decorate their extravagant fashions and luxurious homes.

Passementerie, Encyclopédie de Diderot et d'Alembert (1752-1772).

Mokuba

In 1954, Shoichi Watanabe began making artisanal ribbons inspired by the beauty of the Obi,the wide silk belt worn with a Kimono in Japan. He opened his first store in Tokyo in 1967 and 50 years later, the name Mokuba is recognised around the world, synonymous with the finest quality ribbons and trimmings. His daughter Keiko Watanabe has been the Artistic Director since 1985, and her creative sensibilities have ensured that the success and prestige of Mokuba continues.

Different Ways of Tying the Obi, Doctor J. Johnsson, before 1902

The Japanese sensibility for harmony permeates the Mokuba showrooms where the presentation has been designed with the customer in mind. The space is arranged so that customers may easily visualise combinations of tone, texture and colour. Each of their products are imbued with this sense of harmony, creating unity across their impressive selection of 55,000 designs. A Japanese appreciation of quality craftsmanship is infused in every length of ribbon or trimming as they are all made in Japan, with over 80% manufactured internally.

Mokuba opened their showroom in Paris with a flourish in 1990. Invitations were posted to members of the fashion industry for an exclusive event the day before the grand opening. Over 300 curious fashion designers, artistic directors, stylists and tailors arrived. At the door each guest was given a gift of a small ceramic scissors with the Mokuba logo and invited to cut away as much ribbon as they wanted! As they left, the guests were given a Mokuba Ribbon Package and today these packages have become the Mokuba calling card, they are sent to an exclusive list of over 2,600 customers each year.

Join Rebecca on a tour of Paris’ charming haberdasheries nestled deep in the winding streets of Le Sentier, the city’s historic textile and fashion district. Enjoy a Sunday morning with Rebecca on a Flea Market Tour as she guides you through the labyrinth alleys of Paris’ oldest marché-aux-puces to uncover hidden treasure troves filled with vintage lace, linen, passementerie, golden threads and gossamer lingerie. To find out more visit Textile Tours of Paris

Maison Legeron: the Fanciest Feathers and Flowers

July 8, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

A craftsperson who works with feathers is called a Plumassier. Their creations are used for millinery, fan-making, theatre and cabaret costumes as well as Haute Couture. In 1919 there were 425 feather ateliers in Paris and today there are four; Maison Lemarié, Maison Février, Marcy and Maison Legeron.

Au Revoir École Lesage!

June 3, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

Once the first stage had been completed it was time to work on the surface. This was really interesting as there were several techniques for adding decoration using fabric, large beads, and metallic threads.

The first section was the rose created with pink tulle and muslin. Thankfully there was a detailed guide included the pattern for how to create and then apply each petal. To start I made the centrepiece using a gathered tulle form that was basted by hand and then applied using the crochet hook. I was shown how to do the first petal in class, folding the fabric in double, pinning the fabric to the pattern paper, cutting the fabric from the pattern, and basting the open edge. At home I completed the remaining seven petals of the large rose saying a silent prayer that my ‘vintage’ iron wouldn’t burn or stain the fabric. Back in class the teacher showed me how to place, fold and overlap the petals over the crushed tulle centrepiece using the previously stitched contours as guidelines. In the end mine was in no way related to the original. Next I added the cabochons, éclats and jewels to the centre.

The outlines of the roses were decorated using several stitches and techniques in silver metallic thread. First was as a section of filling chain stitch with a double thickness of thread, with large crystal tassel beads applied on top. Next was a series of stem stitches with quadruple thickness of thread placed between the discontinuous rows of silver sequins and tube beads. I loved how changing the thickness of thread and stitches immediately changed the texture and effects. The leaves surrounding the roses were already outlined in pink cup and vintage silver ‘sunshine’ sequins, the centres were decorated with rows of beads placed above sequins and flat rectangular silver sequins.

This section of flowers involved adding a layer of tulle or white muslin to the petals. The fabrics hid the sequin and bead work below and I was a bit reluctant to add the puffy petals! The muslin was frayed at the edges to add texture. I applied silver sequins to ribbons of crinoline and then arranged the ribbon in loops in the centre of the flower. The centre was then filled with Rhodoïd sequins in opaque white and large translucent cabochons and spheres. (Rhodoïd is a synthetic plastic material, I thought it was a shape I had forgotten from primary school!).

I worried for the foliage section with a double thickness of silk thread in harmonious tones of pink but there was no need. Using my largest crochet hook to catch the threads there were no angry knots of frayed thread and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was finished. Swarovski jewels and vermicelli metallic thread designs were added to the centres. And the finishing touches were lovely rhodoïd sequins in pearlescent whites and pinks added at the final stages, anchored in place with translucent éclats and beads.

I was delighted that I stayed on to do the Années 50, I loved using all the different sequins and beads and seeing how they add so much texture and depth to an embroidery. The techniques used for fabric manipulation were interesting as well, again simple embellishments that instantly elevate the intricacies of an embroidery.

I said goodbye and thank you to my teachers, it would have been amazing to stay on, to continue learning the techniques and discovering the materials, and they kindly said I could come back anytime. It had been such a long journey to get to this point and for the last time the doors of École Lesage closed behind me. Out on the street I suddenly felt a rush of excitement for what was to come, I was ready for the next adventure but would just need to stock up on my materials first…..

Textile Tours of Paris

A 1950s Floral Confection

June 3, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

I had decided to stay on in Paris and try my hand at working in the Haute Couture ateliers as a petite main. I was already qualified as a Professional Haute Couture embroiderer and knew that I would need to register with the recruitment agencies specialising in the metier. Before embarking on this next adventure I wanted to complete the Années 50 course as the beautiful design was worked on a tulle background. I had a notion that this would serve me and it transpired much later that I was right…

The Années 50 design is inspired by a sampler created for Christian Dior and it is as delicate, ephemeral and feminine as you could imagine. On a background of pink and cream tulle it is a confection of embroidery, beads and sequins in iridescent white, rose pink, antique silvers and transparent crystal.

The first step was to mount the embroidery frame, paying meticulous attention to the network in the two layers of tulle. They had to be perfectly aligned at this stage to ensure the tension was even and I squinted to see the tiny holes, all the time afraid to touch the silk tulle in case I ripped the fragile fibres.

Next, the paper pattern was applied to the background directly using a simple chain stitch. The contours of the two large roses and the stems of the floral sprays were traced as well. Once this was complete it was time to begin with the repeated linear motif around the flowers. This is when it got really tricky…

When working with tulle the starting stitch is different, rather than three stitches in the same spot, each stitch must be drawn from a separate hole in the network of tulle, making it more secure. Consulting the pattern I thought that adding the tube beads, curved sequins and large beads would be simple, I had plenty of practice from the previous course however, the idiosyncrasies of tulle quickly became apparent! I placed the first few lines of beads and sequins quickly but when I turned over the frame to check my work I gasped, it looked like a drunk person had done the work - the sequins and beads danced over the tulle in wobbly, haphazard squiggles rather than straight lines. The teacher laughed at my consternation and explained that tulle is formed from a network of relatively large hexagonal holes compared to a standard woven fabric with a grid structure. This causes the sequins or beads move around in the larger spaces. Tension was the key (as always), and I would have to work my stitches more tightly, not so easy as I was still terrified to tear the tulle…

There was opportunity to practice as I continued to follow the pattern. The techniques and materials changed with each tiny section and I had to pay meticulously close attention to the legend. The flower petals contained irridescent sequins, added in overlapping rivers for 2 cms and then spaced for the next 2cms, allowing for tiny metallic tube beads to fill the gaps. The foliage involved overlapping lines of tiny, beautiful vintage ‘sunburst’ metallic sequins which were added alongside lines of curved pink transparent sequins. Small floral sprays were outlined with dark silver, crystal and transparent pink beads, and there were even a few with the dreaded silk thread although thankfully not that many!

Finally I had reached the end of this stage, the paper pattern looked tired, perforated, torn and literally hanging on by a thread. I checked and re-checked the pattern to make sure I hadn’t missed any sections and then it was time to remove the paper. An incredibly satisfying task!

And when I turned the frame over I was delighted with the results and amazed by the rows of evenly placed sequins and beads. Not a dancer in sight! The next stage would be entirely worked on the surface…

Textile Tours of Paris

Les Midinettes

June 2, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

The term Midinette first appeared during the Belle Époque era and it referred to the young women who worked in the luxury fashion houses of Paris. They had their lunch outside the home at midday, often bringing their packed lunches to the Tuileries Gardens or saving up their wages to dine in the surrounding restaurants.

The Midinettes were mostly from Montmartre and Belleville, the working class areas of Paris and they began their training at 12 or 13 years of age. According to a labour inspection survey in 1902 there were 172,000 needleworkers in Paris alone, the majority female. Surrounded by exquisite luxury fashions and materials all day, they were admired for their own stylish appearance using their savoir-faire to accentuate their outfits despite their limited means.

There were serious concerns for the Midinettes amongst the social reformers of the day. They were exposed to dangers in the workplace such as the temptations of luxurious items and lifestyles they could neither afford nor access. The most serious danger for the Midinettes was encountered in the restaurants they frequented due to their susceptibility to falling in love very quickly and their ambitions of marrying above their social class which left them exposed to moral temptation. And so social reformers made efforts to save the virtue of Parisienne Midinettes, Telephone Operators and Administration Employees by opening several female-only working-class restaurants in the area to ensure an affordable meal free of added temptations.

The Midinettes took St. Catherine as their patron saint and she is still celebrated in Haute Couture maisons and ateliers on the 25th of November. Single women who are 25 years old are given a hat decorated with green and yellow by their colleagues and sometimes gifts from their supervisors in the hopes of a prompt marriage. A statue of St. Catherine still stands watch in Sentier, the fashion district of Paris since the 19th century.

And between looking for a husband the Midinettes gave France the weekend! 20,000 Midinettes took to the streets of Paris, marching from the Champs-Élysées along the Grand Boulevard in 1917. Forced to work a half day on Saturdays, they were protesting for a 5 day week like the English model and it was promptly granted by the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture.

I had decided to join the ranks of the Midinettes, perhaps not in the search for a husband or labour rights, but definitely in working in the Haute Couture maisons and ateliers of Paris. I had previously asked the teachers at École Lesage what the best approach would be to find work and they mentioned several recruitment agencies for me to register with. I was amazed and encouraged that there were several recruitment agencies for Haute Couture embroiderers! I took one more shorter course at École Lesage that focused on working with tulle….

Textile Tours of Paris

Paraffection

March 20, 2019 Rebecca Devaney

Paraffection means for the love of and this is certainly a love story made in France! Let’s start at the beginning…

The heritage and tradition of Haute Couture is inextricably linked with Paris. As early as the 17th and 18th centuries the creations of Parisian dressmakers were distributed throughout the European Royal Courts on Pandora fashion dolls due to the desire amongst royalty, aristocrats and courtesans to emanate the French styles. By the 20th century Haute Couture had been elevated to an art form by designers such as Charles Fredrick Worth, Jacques Doucet, Lucile, the Callot Sisters and Emile Pingat. The Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne was established to maintain the standards of excellence, with a daunting list of requirements for those who wished to enter a veritable ‘Hall of Fame’ alongside Paquin, Poiret, Vionnet, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Gres, Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Saint Laurent et al.

Observing a Haute Couture garment up close in a museum or gallery is likely to take your breath away. The genius of design, mastery of skills and perhaps most of all, the hours of time dedicated to the embellishments are awe-inspiring. The garments appear as if from a fairytale, made by fairy-godmothers and worn by illustrious princesses and queens. As your eyes pour over every last detail, devouring the sequins, beads, ribbons and lace, it seems impossible that it could be made for a real person. And yet they are made for real people and they are made by real people too. Sequestered in ateliers and studios are the most skilled and talented professionals of the couture industry, they were once known as les petites mains, but are now celebrated and revered as artisans and masters of their craft. The names of these ateliers and their specialties have become synonymous with Haute Couture such as Lesage and embroidery, Desrues and buttons, Maison Guillet and artificial flowers, Maison Lemarie and feathers, Anne Hoguet and fans.

Paraffection was established in the 1980’s when Chanel acquired eleven ateliers; Desrues, Michel, Lemarié, Lesage, Massaro, Goossens, Guillet, Montex, Causse, Barrie and Atelier Gérard Lognon. The Parisienne ateliers, several of whom had worked closely with Coco Chanel throughout her career, were struggling with changes in the market and difficulty finding young apprentices to the extent that the savoir-faire of their craftspeople and their treasured archives were in danger of being lost forever. Paraffection is an endeavour to preserve this heritage of craft, enabling the ateliers to continue to create magnificent works of art. Tribute is paid to these craftspeople at the annual Métiers d’Art fashion show, showcasing their astonishing skills and talents around the world. You can get a glimpse inside the ateliers at the Chanel website where they post beautiful videos such as the ones below. A very happy ending indeed!