Telling stories with embroidery
- Ekceli in Esperanto means 'a thought communicated through a craft'
- Marie believes in the importance of passing on skills
- She incorporates symbolism into her work
In 2008, Marie Berthouloux enrolled in fashion studies and set out to be a designer. In her search for fabrics, she became frustrated when she could not find the ones she was looking for. When she discovered a craftsmanship diploma at Rochefort specialising in metallic embroidery, she “fell in love”. Specialising in textile design, she learned how to create a variety of textiles and techniques, from weaving, knitting and crochet to dyeing. From there, she decided to launch her own business, Ekceli. She started working on fashion items before naturally turning towards artworks. Her wish is for metallic embroidery to have a place in the world of interior design and for works to be seen as art objects in their own right.
Interview
- Did growing up in Brittany give you a love for embroidery?
- It trained my eye to be attracted to beautiful embroidered fabrics. Brittany is known for its rich heritage of unique embroidery and costumes. At a young age, I was immersed in beautiful fabrics, each with their own symbolism, which is what I try to emulate in my work – incorporating messages and symbols into textiles.
- What challenges do you face?
- I am based in Paris and competing with large studios that are producing part of their work abroad. I strongly believe in the Made-in-France aspect of my work and in fair remuneration for those who work with me. People are often unaware that the quality that comes with local handmade products results in a higher cost.
- Why is it important to train interns and why are they usually women?
- Passing on skills is extremely important for the craft to survive. The artisans in the younger generation are very motivated, they are realistic about the difficulties they face, and passionate, which is essential. Historically embroiderers were men, it is something that has evolved and now it’s rare to see a man.
- You convey stories in your works. Where do they come from?
- They change depending on my source of inspiration. Each time, I reinterpret either a period or a specific theme. There are two levels or perspectives in my work: close-up and from far away. As we move closer, a different story emerges. I want viewers to experience a feeling, I do not want to dictate one to them.
Marie Berthouloux is a master artisan: she began her career in 2010 and she started teaching in 2014
Where
Marie Berthouloux
