March 03, 2021
Hunting, a passion at Le Lissier.
Hunt: look for opportunities at second-hand dealers, antique dealers, flea markets, etc.
Larousse definition.
This is the basis of Le Lissier's activity: looking for (and above all finding) beautiful fabrics. For us, the number 1 criterion is the quality of the fabric, hence the choice of furnishing fabrics made to be solid. Another obviously essential criterion: aesthetics. We look for original, emblematic, colorful, textured, precious, popular fabrics...everything interests us as long as we like it.
The first fabrics worked by Le Lissier were a gift: unused fabrics given to the founder by her grandmother. Later, she received other fabrics as a gift: old curtains given by a friend. Sometimes the fabrics come to the Lissiers, but they couldn't help but quickly go looking for them themselves.
All sources are interesting for finding textiles when you favor quality. However, we only shop in France because we want to stay on local sourcing. Flea markets are one of the places where we make the best finds. It was at a flea market that we found several toiles de Jouy and velvet fabrics. It is also possible to hunt on applications like Vinted or Depop which we love. Or even on sites like Leboncoin where we found the fabric for one of our next editions, Iris. Associations like Emmaüs also hold unsuspected treasures in their reserves.
But what we are particularly proud of is being able to find our fabrics in the stocks of prestigious publishers. They have decommissioned fabrics in their reserves which will be of no or no longer use to their customers and which are sometimes destined for destruction. The reasons for downgrading are various: end of series which has not found a buyer, fabrics refused by the customer for a color or pattern defect, end of rolls which cannot allow the creation of furniture or decoration projects, etc. ... Whatever the reason for the downgrade, for Le Lissier these fabrics are perfect if we like them and if they meet our quality criteria.
We have the chance to collaborate with the most prestigious publishers and the most beautiful manufacturers in France such as Pierre Frey, Charles Burger, publisher of the fabric for the Chérubin edition and Toile de Jouy Bleu , Edmond Petit, Toile de Mayenne for velvet from canvases and jacquards. Some become real long-term partners because our approach allows them to promote their decommissioned production. They are passionate, lovers of their work and their fabrics who are happy to see them come to life.
Antiquing takes a lot of time, it's a passion activity and we love it so much! We will never have enough of finding fabrics that have an experience, that tell a story... For publishers, for us, for you, these fabrics are precious. They deserve our full attention and are part of French heritage.
The act of hunting, searching, searching, unearthing is a work of patience and passion which is enjoying very good times today. Society is turning more and more towards recycling and second hand goods to avoid overproduction and waste. One of the actors that we particularly like in this field is Gauthier Borsarello, founder of the second-hand fashion boutique Le Vif showroom. He is considered a true second-hand and second-hand expert. At Le Lissier we closely follow his very inspiring work.
Antiquing is a passion and Le Lissier is totally in love with it!