joseph scissorhands: Tisser, Broder, Sublimer. Les Savoire-Faire De La Mode. (Weaving, Embroidery, Embellishing. The Carafts and Trade of Fashion).

"Hand embroidery in the modern world is an art that in many ways is a part of the global slow movement. In a world where speed is the default setting, hand embroidery is almost meditative by nature - there's a certain calmness to it, and there's a preciousness to that. The world today is more technological and less human. Embroidery in particular talks about humanity, it's what you do with real hands. And this part of humanity is very important to touch people." - Hubert Barrère, Creative Director of Lesage.

In an age where luxury fashion can at times feel removed from the craftmanship and quality that once defined it, the petites mains (tiny hands) who prop up the grand fashion maisons are as valued as they ever were.The petites mains will forever be the unsung heroes of the fashion world. They are the uncelebrated artisans working in ateliers whose individual specialisms include lace work, embroidery, feather work, beading, artificial flower making and weaving etc. that supply the major haute couture houses with the amazing finishing touches to their garments. Petites mains spend hundreds of hours patiently creating the ravishing embellishments using these diverse ranges of highly skilled techniques on the couture garments to grace the runways season after season in the fashion world. The petites mains usually train for ten years before they are deemed technically proficient at their particular specialism, and work in small teams with short notice periods before the big fashion shows to complete their work. Petite mains are the guardians of centuries-old craftsmanship who maintain standards and traditions working across the aesthetics of different creative directors, reinterpreting a brand's codes and closely guarded techniques. The ateliers are from another time - the mid-nineteenth century and the beginnings of haute couture. Everything (including fabric), was being made by hand. It was an era that favoured craftsmanship and a time when sumptuously adorned designs were in demand, especially in Europe. The clothes and homes of those who could afford it were all decorated top to bottom in the most exquisitely detailed fabrics. While the ateliers once employed thousands of seamstresses, today they’re regarded as the endangered species of the fashion world. There are traditional ateliers and artisanal houses such as the legendary Maison Lesage and Maison Hurel. As creative director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld worked closely with the atelier Lesage, it wasn’t until 2002 that he purchased the atelier as a way to protect its future and the specialist skills of the petite mains. Today, Chanel has purchased a total of twelve ateliers, including Lesage and Lemarié, and is preserving the craftsmanship of these artisanal ateliers who remain independent and continue to work for a range of couturiers. The ateliers are uniquely a part of both Paris’s and fashion’s history. Newer ateliers such as Baqué Molinié or Aurélia Leblanc are also established to uphold traditional craftsmanship whilst using cutting edge technologies such as 3D and laser printing. I am particularly interested in embroidered surfaces on textiles, as it is a technique which spill over into my own artwork, and so it was that I came to this exhibition (the first in a series focusing on the skills and crafts in Parisian fashions) at the Palais Galliera. I am currently developing a new series of dress silhouettes inspired by floral motifs and this was the perfect venue and exhibition for my research. There were case after case of coats, gowns, shoes and gloves exquisitely embroidered with extravagant floral designs in a wide range of techniques from the 18th century to the present day. As well as the clothing there were cases displaying the tools of the trade such as textile samples, graphic art and preliminary designs, specialist tools and magnifying glasses so the visiting public can examine the complexity and quality of the craftsmanship in all its laborious detail. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to gain an insight into the very special skill sets and know-how of the petite mains and others who work in the fashion industry. I hope to make a return visit before this little gem of an exhibition closes in the autumn.