Lily Alcaraz and Léa Berlier, weaving together unique designs
Lily Alcaraz and Léa Berlier create bespoke pieces that adorn some of the world's most beautiful interiors. Their work enhances luxury boutiques, trendy hotels, private homes, and extraordinary furniture.
They weave their decors in unison. Together, they mastered the craft at ENSCI - Les Ateliers in Paris. In 2009, they started their business, blending a weaving workshop and a design studio.
Image: Mirage 04 © Maurine Tric. Image above: Au Loin 03 © Baptiste Heller.
Their work tells us about their affinity for Japanese culture and the ancestral skills they explored in Kyoto's Nishijin district. From the precious fabrics born in the Heian era, they retain the bold elements, like paper. But also the subtleties of relief and colours that catch the light. “We draw inspiration from ikat and kasuri, two traditional dyeing techniques. We adapted these methods to paper, painting the strips of paper before weaving. This approach creates patterns that are intrinsic to the material, not just printed on the surface.”
Lily and Léa’s unique graphic style emerges through their use of wood, leather, paper, and wool felt, while they like to play with colour through thread. “We experiment first on the loom, quite intuitively, quite freely with colours, wefts, and warp threads before moving to digital tools. It's a necessary step to test the reactions of the material in a given situation.”
Image: Pinceau 03 © Damien Arlettaz.
Their work has gained popularity as interest in handmade and artisanal textiles grows. Their clients value the origin of materials, so they prioritise French suppliers and partners, using local, natural, or surplus materials. Lily and Léa mainly create wall textiles and decorative panels for decorators and luxury brands like Moinard Bétaille for Cartier, RDAI for Hermès, Tristan Auer, Stéphanie Coutas, and others. They also develop textile collections, patterns, and colour ranges for fashion and interior design brands.
Guest edited by Juliette Sebille.
They weave their decors in unison. Together, they mastered the craft at ENSCI - Les Ateliers in Paris. In 2009, they started their business, blending a weaving workshop and a design studio.
Their work tells us about their affinity for Japanese culture and the ancestral skills they explored in Kyoto's Nishijin district. From the precious fabrics born in the Heian era, they retain the bold elements, like paper. But also the subtleties of relief and colours that catch the light. “We draw inspiration from ikat and kasuri, two traditional dyeing techniques. We adapted these methods to paper, painting the strips of paper before weaving. This approach creates patterns that are intrinsic to the material, not just printed on the surface.”
Lily and Léa’s unique graphic style emerges through their use of wood, leather, paper, and wool felt, while they like to play with colour through thread. “We experiment first on the loom, quite intuitively, quite freely with colours, wefts, and warp threads before moving to digital tools. It's a necessary step to test the reactions of the material in a given situation.”
Their work has gained popularity as interest in handmade and artisanal textiles grows. Their clients value the origin of materials, so they prioritise French suppliers and partners, using local, natural, or surplus materials. Lily and Léa mainly create wall textiles and decorative panels for decorators and luxury brands like Moinard Bétaille for Cartier, RDAI for Hermès, Tristan Auer, Stéphanie Coutas, and others. They also develop textile collections, patterns, and colour ranges for fashion and interior design brands.
Guest edited by Juliette Sebille.