Thursday, 26 March 2015

The Art of Being Unique

Have you seen the documentary Handmade in Paris with Love?

It's a French documentary showcasing the unique work of artisans who create embellishments and adornments for French fashion houses and independent designers.

Think Chanel, Christian Dior, Emmanuel Ungaro, Lacroix, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Louboutin and similar!

Designers such as these have, for centuries, collaborated with artisans to give that certain unique edge to their collections and shows.

Bruno Legeron, one of the Parisian artisans featured in Handmade in Paris with Love, has truly mastered the art of being unique!  http://www.legeron.com/en/01_content.html


Daily, he makes cloth flowers (created from velvet, silk and leather) and fashions them into exquisite assemblages in his 2nd arrondissement workroom in Paris. His creations are all handmade and gorgeous!

Designers commission Legeron each season to make those floral + feather adornments that you see perched on shoes, at throats and necklines, attached to a belt or carefully positioned 'just so' in the hair.

Take, for example, Dries Van Notten.

A favourite designer of mine, his recent collection featured velvet clutches of flowers and feathers, fastened to a simple ribbon and worn at the neck.  The kind of 'ribbon necklace' that you see in those romantic paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Dries' beautiful boutique in Antwerp is located in the centre of the city….not far from the Fashion Museum.
Maybe Dries was inspired by 18th-century romantic art or maybe he collaborated with Bruno?

Who knows but Dries is certainly a master of shape, colour, adornment + unusual fabric combinations. Think canvas + embroidered brocade + ribbon necklaces.

Relaxed, feminine, unfussy….fabulous!
Art History inspirations?
Fragonard's The Swing 1766…..everything old is new again.
So…inspired by Dries and those romantic paintings….I thought I'd try my own flower assemblage.
First ....a quick visit to Alla Moda for some 'frivolities'....ribbons, French lace and English embroidered tulle.
Next....a couple of cloth flowers + yellow feathers + hot glue gun and I'm ready to go.
Positioning and pinning.
Fashioning collar with thread, needle and thimble....and those gorgeous kid leather embossed flowers.
Velvet flower + feather assemblage necklace.  Voila!
They'll both have a promenade shortly…..a couple of birthdays coming up soon so I'll save them for that I think!


Ciao

Robyn




You may also like:
http://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/top-ten-antwerp.html













Posted by at

12 comments:

  1. Flora Fascinata26 March 2015 at 23:14

    Robyn I die!!!!! These are divine!!! You beautiful creative thing. I want to make some with you! Xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elizabeth@ Pine Cones and Acorns27 March 2015 at 08:32

    Robyn, these are so beautiful! I cannot wait to see where and when you wear your beautiful creations

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paris Rendez-vous and Beyond27 March 2015 at 15:33

      Pleased that you like them dear Elizabeth. And after making these I fully appreciate the time that Monsieur Bruno Legeron must take with his creations. And maybe I will do a quick 'snap' when I take them out on a promenade....just for you dear Elizabeth!

      Ciao

      R

      Delete
  3. peggybraswell27 March 2015 at 08:41

    Legeron is a master + yours are sooo great + love your photos xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paris Rendez-vous and Beyond27 March 2015 at 15:35

      Darling Peggy....as always, thank you so much. I only just learnt about Monsieur Legeron....what a pity I didn't know about him when I lived in Paris. But do you know that you can take a tour of his workshop? Apparently there is a 'tour' of Parisian ateliers that one can take...and Legeron is among them! That'll be on my list the next time I visit the City of Lights.

      Ciao

      R

      Delete
  4. soula27 March 2015 at 13:50

    Mind blowingly exquisite! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paris Rendez-vous and Beyond27 March 2015 at 15:37

      Darling Soula...thank you so much. Fun to make....but maybe the next one a little smaller? Less is more do you think? or not always!!!!!!

      Ciao

      R

      Delete
  5. Anonymous27 March 2015 at 21:10

    OMG Robyn!! What an exquisite collaboration of stunning embellishments....I'm sure that if any one of Europe's noted couturier houses caught sight of your gorgeous creations, Bruno Legeron would definitely be out of work!!....absolutely stunning....and as always indicative of the RM finesse.....and what a beautiful building showcasing Dries Van Notten's Antwerp boutique....no doubt some $$$$ was well spent there??? Would love to view the documentary "Handmade in Paris with Love" ......must see if I can track it down......Great blog...thanks Robyn.....Jude

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paris Rendez-vous and Beyond29 March 2015 at 18:34

      I'll see if I can find the DVD down here for you Jude. Maybe the French Film Festival will know where I can get it.

      And thanks for those lovely compliments.....a little bit of fun to make.....though I'm sure Bruno would shriek 'horreur' at the hot glue gun! Not his beautiful 'hand-made' style at all!

      Ciao

      R

      Delete
  6. Jayne4 April 2015 at 19:34

    I adore Fragonard, and your assemblage are so evocative of that sensibility! Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paris Rendez-vous and Beyond4 April 2015 at 20:21

      I do too dear Jayne....and I saw "The Swing' when I visited The Wallace Collection in London. A marvellous place filled with treasures.

      Thank you so much for your lovely compliment.

      Ciao

      Robyn

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)