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Atelier Mei Line at the tourist office in Vaison-la-Romaine

Window front at the tourist office in Vaison-la-Romaine

For aesthetes who are looking for originality, Atelier Mei Line is an exclusive brand that dresses the home and its inhabitants. The antique fabrics I use are part of the trousseaux that women used to embroider and finish before getting married. They have embedded stories: people made love in them, babies where born in them. Those precious fabrics are still found forgotten in attics, particularly in Provence, where I live and work, and where all the transformations takes place. The fabrics are patterned with ancestral techniques and dyed with plant based natural dyes. They are then produced into timeless, empowering and durable clothing and home wear. I am grateful to be able to present my work here, which represent an sample of this spring and summer’s production Français:…

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Mokume shibori

Antique hemp table runner indigo mukume shibori

I love this pattern, it’s irregular regularity and strong contrast. Every line is made by squeezing the fabric in small folds. Those folds are created by small stitches running perpendicular to the lines. A very long process, but once the rhythm is found, I love the meditative aspect. I trained in shibori creations with Kuno Hiroaki of Kuno Studio, thanks to Harumi at  Couleur Garance and  Tinctoria. Learning the best practice for both hadn’t movements and knot making has provided invaluable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_n_HMRa_-4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjKfhX_01FY

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Tegumo shibori

Tegumo shibori on grey cedar

Tegumo shibori is a type of tied resist developed in Arimatsu, Japan, where I had the chance of training with master Kuno-san from Kuno Studio (see blogpost in process here) During the Edo period, the busy Tokaido route saw the flourishing of trade. Arimatsu’s specialty was Yukata fabric, and the cotton was predominantly dyed in indigo, with various shibori patterns. Please check the « Sur la route du Tokaido » blogpost for Hiroshige’s etchings of the route, with beautiful illustration of many shibori patterns. A few pictures and a video of the tegumo shibori process of tying a series of cones, which once, untied after dyeing, reveal a rhythmical yet always different pattern. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2onyhyX2pbI

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Upcycling

Indigo shibori up cycled garnements

It all started as a whim, a wish to cover up a stain on an old favourite linen skirt… and it ended up being a great idea! Soon, one of my clients was asking me to upcycle her lovely white linen dress. Upcycling beloved items of clothing to cover up stains, or defects, or just to glamour them up, gives a new life to quality items of clothing made of natural fibres. I have a small stock of organic cotton t-shirts and linen scarves to create some of the shown products, but you are welcome to send me your item to upcycle. A selection previous orders, all pictures are linked to the relevant item

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Shibori-zome, Kuno Hiroaki

Part 3 of a 3 parts training trip to Japan by Tinctoria, November-December 2023 I had the chance of meeting Hiroaki Kuno a few years ago when he came to train us in shibori-zome over a week-end at Couleur Garance. As you those who have been following my work would know, I have since then been extensively practising shibori with natural indigo. With ample occasions to realise how hard it is to get even the « simplest » of these techniques right. Shibori-zome includes an endless variety of reserve technique to produce pattern on fabric when applied before dyeing. Traditional patterns where executed by persons with infinite dexterity and infinite patience. Knot by knot, stitch by stitch, fold by fold, the fabric is crumpled into a much smaller bundle before being…

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Kusaki Kobo, Dr Kasuki Yamazaki

Part 2 of a 3 parts training trip to Japan by Tinctoria Dr Kasuki Yamazaki is a natural dye Professor at the Art and Design University in Yamagata. He has dedicated his life to the research and teaching of ancient Japan’s traditional colour aesthetics and dye techniques. This was a four days intensive training, where we unlearned just about everything we new about mordants to learn Kusakizome – or natural dyes the traditional Japanese way – with Kasukisan, his son Hirokisan and the magical team of fairies who made this very dense class possible in such a short time frame. We used the plants which have been part of Japan’s elite clothing for centuries. Thanks to Kasukisan’s in depth knowledge of both practise, botanic and chemistry, we where able…

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Beni Itajime, Mrs Yoshimura

Beni Itajime

Part 1 of a 3 parts training trip to Japan by Tinctoria We where very fortunate to discover and practise a near extinct reserve technique: Beni Itajime. While the « classic » Itajime technique using two wood block to apply pressure on fabric to create a resist while dyeing is a very common technique nowadays, it’s much more sophisticated version using engraved wood blocks would have all but disappeared without Mrs Yoshimura’s determination and vision. Her family had been the unique depositary of that exclusive technique outside of Kyoto, and she made sure to keep it alive and share her knowledge. She toured us through her treasured collection of kimonos with Beni Itajime linings. It could sound quite odd to us westerners to keep such a fabulous fabric where the…

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More shiboris

A fun shooting on the stone stairs of our place in Vaison-la-Romaine, in the heart of the medieval town, where I open the showroom upon appointment. All photos are linked to their respective product or category By the pool at La Baye des Anges where I dye the linen fabric for the pool loungers and the table runners for the pool dining area Also at La Baye des Anges, a set of placemats that turned out to be an instant hit for our epicurean friends While in the garden, the day bed is pilled up high with the latest in antique hemp and linen cushions at the Atelier inauguration

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