Overcoming boundaries
- Alicja was the first Polish alumni of Ecole Lesage Paris
- Quality and ethics are at the core of her work
- She specialises in luneville embroidery
At the age of 28, Alicja Stanska had already had a dozen different careers behind her and had worked in several corporations across Poland. Embroidery, that she learned as a little girl from her father, became her way of relaxation. "I realised a corporate work was not for me. I went back to what I had done in my childhood and found that I wanted to live off it." Since then, she has mastered both traditional techniques and very sophisticated luneville embroidery – as used in haute couture. It became her way of expression and communication throughout all her works – not only as an artist, but also as a human rights activist and criminologist. "Embroidery is everything to me. It always has been and will surround me for the rest of my life. And who knows what I will come up with in the next ten years!"
Discover her work
INTERVIEW
I once saw a documentary about Maison Lesage and luxury craftsmanship, it made me want to learn the luneville technique as I was fascinated with haute couture fashion. After my return, I held an exhibition at the State Art Gallery with hand decorated costumes using those techniques.
As an activist, I dealt with human rights in the world of textiles and fashion. That is why I am focused on the craftsmanship and into creating one-off pieces with my own hands. In my works I use only European materials which I import from France, Germany or Italy.
I came to a realisation that it is not just craft: in my soul, I am also a designer. Creating new patterns, bringing embroidery further and overcoming its fragility is what interest me the most. That is why I have begun to combine it with new technologies.
I love architecture and always wanted embroidery to become something that I can use every day. Fashion is my inspiration for interior design. This combination fascinates me. I once said that I want to embroider the world and I am aiming for it – a bit.
