New frontiers of needle and thread
- Yanis invented a new embroidery technique with water soluble fabric
- From silicone to discarded pearl shells, his work makes use of diverse materials
- Personal memories and experiences inform his 3D art
Yanis Miltgen specialises in creating experimental embroidery, knitwear and crochet with different objects and materials. Having trained with master embroiderer Marylène Eyral, and completed an MA in fashion studies at Atelier Chardon Savard in 2023, he immersed himself fully into embroidery as a transformative art form. Yanis experiments with an ever-widening selection of materials, informed by his formal training, but forever pioneering in his approach. "My work interweaves technical skill with personal narrative. I translate happy memories, landscapes and experiences that have left an impression on me, into embroidery that is sculptural and relentlessly inventive," he says. Yanis' work earned him the 2023 Design Trust’s People’s Choice Award prize for Hand & Lock in London.
Interview
- When did you first realise embroidery was your path?
- I have been surrounded by yarn and thread since I was a child, as my mother has always loved to knit. I quickly discovered that embroidery's repetition calms my anxious tendencies. During the third year of my studies, I sought embroidery at Studio Eyral in Reunion Island, which changed everything for me.
- What role does place play in your work?
- Working locally and sourcing materials responsibly are central to my work. To realise large projects, I collaborate with my mother, other Luxembourgish makers and even a charitable collective of elderly knitters, combining their skills with mine.
- What drives your experimentation?
- I see embroidery like research, a hypothesis I must test. I push traditional craft into new territory, with electrical systems, movable elements and sculptural forms. I have learned 300 different stitches to preserve the soul of embroidery, but also to innovate technically.
- What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
- In 2025, I created my largest piece with Luxembourgish sponsorship, and also invented a new embroidery technique using water soluble fabric. But later in life, I think it will be to eventually teach everything I have learned, so this accumulated knowledge is not lost.
Yanis Miltgen is a rising star: he began his career in 2023 and he started teaching in 2023
Where
Yanis Miltgen
