This year, Lesage celebrates a century of exceptional expertise in embroidery and weaving. Founded in 1924, this emblematic Maison d’art has played a crucial role in the history of haute couture and fashion as well as working with the most prestigious clients in the world of decoration.

 

From 26 September 2024 to 26 January 2025, the exhibition "Lesage. 100 years of Fashion and Decoration" celebrates one hundred years of excellence and innovation by the embroidery and textile house resident at le19M.

Practical info

  • Free event

Book

Complete

Place

la Galerie du 19M - Paris/Aubervilliers

Preparation

For more details, refer to the practical information.

A century! Lesage celebrates a century of excellence in the service of haute couture, fashion, and decoration, from the biggest names to young designers. Founded by the visionary couple Albert and Marie-Louise Lesage, and then boldly expanded by their son François Lesage, the illustrious embroidery house has withstood the test of time, expanding into textiles, setting up in India, and making history.

Embroidery on a loom in the Lesage embroidery workshop
View of the Vastrakala workshop
Portrait of Jean-François Lesage, artistic director of Lesage Interiors  
Portrait of Hubert Barrère, artistic director of Maison Lesage since 2011
Vastrakala
The Vastrakala workshop of excellence in India
The ACT3 textile workshop in Pau
The ACT3 textile workshop
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Embroidery on a loom in the Lesage embroidery workshop

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View of the Vastrakala workshop

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Portrait of Jean-François Lesage, artistic director of Lesage Interiors

 

 

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Portrait of Hubert Barrère, artistic director of Maison Lesage since 2011

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Vastrakala

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The Vastrakala workshop of excellence in India

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The ACT3 textile workshop in Pau

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The ACT3 textile workshop

Organised into eight sections, the exhibition is studded with pieces of handcrafted art, exceptional both for their technical virtuosity and the allure of their silhouettes, created by Lesage for haute couture houses. A detailed, insightful overview of the techniques, gestures, and different steps in the process of creation is presented, guiding visitors through the heritage and excellence of the House.

 

To reveal and showcase the very essence of Lesage, a creative scenography and sound capsules that give voice to the living memory of the house will enable visitors to discover its history and go behind the scenes of its workshops, paying tribute to the work of its craftspeople, the strength of its creative dialogue with the most prestigious clients, and the wealth of its heritage.

The stage of embroidery on a loom
Creation of a tweed in the Lesage textile workshop
The stage of drawing in embroidery
The stage of stitching
Embroidery design
The stage of sanding in the Lesage embroidery workshops
The stage of sanding in the Lesage embroidery workshops
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The stage of embroidery on a loom

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Creation of a tweed in the Lesage textile workshop

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The stage of drawing in embroidery

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The stage of stitching

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Embroidery design

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The stage of sanding in the Lesage embroidery workshops

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The stage of sanding in the Lesage embroidery workshops

In addition to its unique, centuries-old expertise, Lesage also has the largest collection of fine embroidery in the world. A selection of the house’s 80,000 carefully preserved samples will exceptionally be presented outside the House’s archives for this exhibition. An immersive installation invites visitors to travel to fully explore rare and iconic samples, scanned in 3D, to discover Lesage’s different key eras. A dreamlike journey through materials and textures.

 

Finally, the exhibition also showcases new artistic forms born of the dialogue between embroidery and other media, as well as original collaborations with contemporary designers, from fashion to the visual arts, and including interior and object design.

the Programme

A century! Lesage is celebrating a century of creative dialogue, friendship, and complicity. It’s the perfect opportunity to devote a season of special programming to the brand, combining embroidery and weaving with other artistic disciplines, highlighting their flourishes, their pretences, their technicalities, and their splendour.

 

Drawing on the house’s iconography, workshops for visitors of all ages will combine embroidery and drawing, weaving and digital technology, ornamentation and literature, and esotericism and symbolism.

 

After a series of stopovers in Marseille, Paris, Dakar, and Venice, during which the public were introduced to embroidery through free workshops, the participative work Murmuration designed with Aristide Barraud is returning to la Galerie du 19M Paris/Aubervilliers for the "Lesage. 100 years of Fashion and Decoration" exhibition. An opportunity for the public to discover the different facets of the house.

Finally, this anniversary season also features three exceptional evening events including the opening of the exhibition, a festive happening paying tribute to the house’s greatest celebrations, a celebration of the 100th episode of the Habitudes podcast, and the second edition of the Amateur Collection Contest organised with Profane magazine. All of which will culminate in a creative and festive weekend with a taste of the festive season.

 

Happy birthday Lesage! And may the party go on!

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