Couture embroidery improvisations

Plants, animals, emotions - Karen Nicole brings her fantasies to life with an old sewing machine. Floss in her embroideries is often replaced by strips of fabric, and sometimes even plastic bags!

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Exact, scrupulous work with a stapler, adhesive tapes, pins ... When looking at graceful embroideries and fabric collages of Mrs. Nicole, it is difficult to believe that everything started from a hopeless position ...
"My sister and I were about 13 years old when our mother, a recognized embroiderer, decided to buy us instead of dresses only fabrics and patterns! It was a challenge! With far-reaching consequences." Days and evenings filled with "sewing" improvisations, skills and practical experience, derived from their own mistakes. All this led to the fact that Nicole began to learn embroidery - first in Manchester, and then in London, at the Royal College of Art (Royal College of Art), where he still teaches from time to time.
Then Karen plunged headlong into the world of fashion, came to Paris and sold her mini-collection to a small boutique. Thus began (and continues) a 15-year career as a textile designer. Currently, Karen works with eminent houses such as Chanel Couture, Givenchy, Matthew Williamson. Interior designers also often turn to Karen, she carried out orders even for the Pope.
Karen is subject to any kind of embroidery, she is disrespectful to tradition, but in the best sense. She gives herself to work with passion.Again and again he comes up with techniques, varies them and combines them. Her most important tool is still the old Irish embroidery machine, which was sold back in the 50s of the last century! "I'm really happy when I manage to do something that I didn’t suspect yesterday that this is even possible," - says Karen. “It was very difficult to figure out how to embroider a monkey in glass technique” (see photo), but in the end, after numerous attempts, she made a muzzle of transparent threads on plastic, and the body of plastic bottles cut into fringe.
Karen draws inspiration mainly from flea markets. “I really like to delve into old ribbons, lace, thread. But to be honest: I would help my daughter learn how to sew, if at 13 she would have been given the same task as before me.”
London / KARENNICOL.COM

In the photo: Karen Nicole’s house, where she lives with artist Peter Clarke (paper decor specialist). The atmosphere was bought mainly in flea markets.
Atelier of the artist with a collection of textiles and accessories from around the world.
Plastic machine embroidery with ribbons torn from chiffon.
Silk hand-painted gecko drip.
Plaid bag with applications typical of the Karen technique.
Tapestries with roe deer and birds. Animals in most cases are made in full size, before embroidery they were first depicted on parchment paper and then copied onto fabric.
Embroidery with silk ribbons on a rough linen canvas.
Photo: DavidGiles (1), HennyvanBelkom (1), private archive.
The material was prepared by Elena Karpova.

Watch the video: Yves Saint Laurent Luneville Couture embroidery sample. How to make. (November 2024).