Séverina Lartigue

A fascination with fabric flowers

• Séverina transforms white silk into flowers
• She is the last independent luxury flower-maker in France
• She has worked with shops including Galerie Lafayette

As a young girl, Séverina Lartigue visited a shop looking for fabric flowers to put on a dress and was instantly mesmerised by the world she had stepped into. She bought three violets that she still has to this day. She later started to create her own fabric flowers, combining her affinity for textiles with a long-held fascination with nature and botany. Over the years she been lucky enough to work with several masters of the craft, who taught her techniques and knowledge that would help her become a master herself.

Interview

©Dominique Elalouf

©Connectheads/Fondation EY

How did you begin your business?

When I started I had ten tools. My tools are collection items that are very rare and hard to find. The oldest one dates back to 1770 and the most recent one 1930. So I started with these tools and 900 French francs. This was the amount I needed to register with the chambers of crafts in France and start my business.

Who in particular taught you this craft?

My master was Jacques Delamare, the son of Noémie Fromentin, who created the Maison in 1902. From him I inherited taste and knowledge. He was 60 years older than I was and trained me for six years until his death.

What techniques are involved?

Each step in the creation of a flower corresponds to a specific craft. What’s special about my workshop is that I work on every stage of the product’s life, from inception to final sale. This is my studio’s strength. I am the last independent luxury flower-making workshop in France.

What kind of products do you make?

I make products for haute couture as well as ready-to-wear collections. As my work is made to measure, people look at my website and that gives them an idea of my products and prices. They then call me and from there we start custom-made projects.

Séverina Lartigue is a master artisan: she began her career in 1992 and she started teaching in 2018

Works

©Séverina Lartigue

©Séverina Lartigue

©Séverina Lartigue

©Séverina Lartigue

Where