She/ Her
This project reimagines the endangered craft of passementerie, a woven technique for creating ornate decorative trim, by exploring its potential within contemporary accessory design. Through playful experimentation with scale, the incorporation of utilitarian metals like washers, and vibrant colour, my work challenges conventional notions of passementerie and repositions it in a modern context. Using these utilitarian metals plays with the relationship between function and decoration, challenging the value we attach to materials. By applying surface treatments, metal components are transformed into dynamic embellishments that inject colour and intrigue into the designs. Presented as a series of handbag straps, the collection celebrates carrying passementerie forward, continuing the craft in a modern context as an accessory for self-expression, craftsmanship, material innovation, and conceptual design.
Colour is central to my project, used as a powerful means of expressing energy and emotion. The warp, inspired by the vibrant effects of heat-patinated copper, features bold, saturated stripes that echo the treated metal’s tones. Using a ‘colour mixing’ technique with yarn, I carefully curated vibrant, hand-spun wefts to create dynamic combinations. To further integrate utilitarian metals into the palette, the heat patina applied to copper and aluminium, transformed their industrial surfaces into soft, iridescent gradients. These subtle shifts in tone harmonise with the bold warp, complementing the contrast between hard and soft, playing with function and decoration.
