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Photograhies : FLORIAN TOUZET
For the launch of our Recollection line of household linen based on recycling, community and expertise, we collaborated with the creative duo Azur. Every piece in the collection was made from scraps of our fabrics and hand-dyed in their workshop in Marseille. On this occasion, we met them to find out a little more about their world.
Azur is a ready-to-wear brand deeply committed to building a healthy and transparent supply chain with natural materials from responsible sources and collaborating with local artisans.
CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, PLEASE?
Lisa Guedel-Dolle: After graduating with a bachelor's degree in graphic design from ECAL (Lausanne, Switzerland), I founded a graphic design and art direction studio, working mainly in the fields of publishing and visual identity. At the same time, I am a graphic designer and digital art director for a fashion magazine.
Lisa Favreau: I graduated from ESAA Duperré (Paris) with a BTS in textile and materials design. I then worked as a stylist in the environment department of a design office before starting to work as a freelance set designer.
In 2018, we moved to Marseille, intending to set up a creative project focusing on sustainable development and craftsmanship, working in conjunction with nature and the region where we live.
HOW DID THE AZUR PROJECT COME ABOUT?
We became less and less comfortable with the fact that our work was often too far removed from our beliefs and began to think that we could use our creative skills and energy in more eco-friendly ways. Little by little, the project began to take shape in our minds.
Long before it became a clothing project, Azur represented a strong desire to change the way we work, to create and to move towards more sustainable practice. At first, we didn't know if it would materialise into objects, furniture or clothing. Making truly ethical and eco-friendly clothing proved to be a real challenge.
HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR INTEREST IN NATURAL DYEING?
During the development phase of the project, we were looking for natural and environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes. We stumbled upon natural dyeing by chance and were immediately captivated. Being able to transform a white fabric into an infinite palette of colours using plants and with no pollution is fascinating. We then did some research and trained, and after several months of practice and experimentation, we were able to dye our first pieces.
HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR INTEREST IN NATURAL DYEING?
During the development phase of the project, we were looking for natural and environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes. We stumbled upon natural dyeing by chance and were immediately captivated. Being able to transform a white fabric into an infinite palette of colours using plants and with no pollution is fascinating. We then did some research and trained, and after several months of practice and experimentation, we were able to dye our first pieces.
HOW DID YOU FIRST ENCOUNTER SESSÙN?
We met the Sessùn style team a year ago. They contacted us with the aim of doing vegetable dyeing end-of-stock fabrics to create upcycled household linen.
In our work, we value production methods that are respectful of people and the environment, so we were immediately interested in participating in a collection like this one, and it was only natural that we started this project.
WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST INSPIRATIONS?
Azur is first and foremost about research into materials and colours. More than a garment, it is a material to wear. The brand's aesthetic is driven by the local, ethical and eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes we choose to work with. Azur's style is derived from the materials and skills we are discovering.
YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON YOUR NEW COLLECTION, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT?
For our next collection, which will be released in the spring, we have continued exploring pleated silk and natural dye. We have also developed a summer palette in shades of beige, pink and red, and we can't wait to reveal it.
At the same time, we are developing new pieces for winter: a collection of pleated silk and unique wool pieces in shades of indigo.
In the future, we would like to develop a wider product range and broaden our research to cover other materials and techniques, but always with the same humane and environmental values that form the foundations on which Azur is built.
