From 9 to 11 October, Brochier Soieries will be taking part in the Lyon Braderie Festival, organised by My Presqu’île. This year, at our stand on Place des Jacobins, we will be offering a selection of silk squares and scarves, silk fabrics by the metre and small accessories from previous collections and end-of-line pieces, at special prices.

Taking part in this event is above all a way to support initiatives that bring Lyon city centre to life. Awarded the Fabriqué à Lyon (“Made in Lyon”) label, Brochier Soieries creates and produces its collections in the heart of the city, in our workshops just a few steps from Place des Terreaux. We are deeply attached to this central location, which allows us to keep our craftsmanship alive and share our expertise in the heart of Lyon.

→ Join us on Place des Jacobins on 9, 10 and 11 October

L’article Brochier Soieries at the Lyon Braderie Festival est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

Silk is one of them.

So is gold.

For 130 years, Brochier Soieries has woven gold and silver threads. One might imagine this expertise to belong solely to the realm of heritage, haute couture dresses or the creations of the great 20th-century couturiers. Yet it continues to inspire contemporary artists and designers today.

Sometimes, almost naturally.

Thomas Henriot: giving gold thread a contemporary expression

When Thomas Henriot set out to translate his drawings of Indian palaces into textiles, the idea of using gold thread seemed an obvious choice. More than a colour, it evokes light, architecture, the memory of places and the stories they carry.

The monumental works born from this collaboration do not look to the past;they give gold thread a decidedly contemporary expression.

Thomas Henriot – Basubati Palace, Calcutta, 2026

Rick Owens: a material that evolves over time

A few months later, another encounter confirmed this intuition.

Invited to discover a selection of the house’s fabrics, Rick Owens was instinctively drawn to the lamés. Beyond their shimmer, it was perhaps the very life of the material that captured his interest. Metallic threads reflect the light, but they also evolve over time. They develop a patina, oxidise and subtly change in appearance. Like wood, leather or bronze, they bear the traces of time.

This sense of temporality fascinates many artists.

A work of art is not always intended to remain unchanged. Some materials continue to live after their creation. They age, transform and enter into a dialogue with light and the passing years. Gold and silver threads belong to this family of living materials.

A heritage that continues to inspire creation

This is undoubtedly one of the reasons why they continue to inspire today’s creators.

Techniques evolve. Uses change. Silhouettes are transformed. Yet certain materials retain their evocative power. They offer artists a language that each generation reinvents in its own way.

The exhibition Brochier Soieries, 130 Years of Silk, Gold and Silver tells the story of this continuity. It shows that heritage is not simply a memory to be preserved. It is also a source of inspiration for the creations of today and tomorrow.

Julie Dodet, Exhibition Curator

BROCHIER SOIERIES, 130 YEARS OF SILK, GOLD AND SILVER
Exhibition from October 1, 2026
Musée Soieries Brochier
18 quai Jules Courmont, 69002 Lyon

L’article Silk, Gold and Silver: The Art of Reinvention est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

The couturier and the silk maker, however, look first at the fabric.

A fabric is never simply a medium. It shapes the creative process. Its weight, fluidity, drape and suppleness open up possibilities… or impose limitations.

Lamé du Poète, a textile innovation

Strapless sheath dress Christian Dior — circa 1983

Brochier Soieries’ Lamé du Poète perfectly illustrates this idea.

Lamé fabric owes its shimmer to fine metallised strips that reflect the light. But on their own, these strips have neither the suppleness nor the fluidity of natural silk thread. They can also make the fabric uncomfortable against the skin.

Brochier’s expertise lay in overcoming this contradiction.

By combining metallic threads with a double silk warp, the house succeeded in creating a unique fabric. On the outside, it retains all the brilliance of gold. On the inside, only silk comes into contact with the skin. The garment can therefore be worn unlined, directly against the body, while remaining exceptionally soft.

When fabric transforms the silhouette

This innovation profoundly changes the couturier’s work.

Without a lining, the silhouette becomes lighter. Nothing interrupts the continuity of the fabric or weighs down its lines. The garment moves naturally with the body, with the distinctive drape that gives Lamé du Poète its elegance: a subtle balance between the weight needed to create a beautiful drape and the fluidity essential to graceful movement.

For Yves Saint Laurent, this quality was essential. In his quest to make seams disappear and create the impression that his dresses were simply draped around the body, these fabrics offered him exceptional creative freedom. The fabric no longer simply clothed the silhouette: it became an integral part of its design.

The invisible role of the silk maker

This is perhaps where the role of a great silk maker truly lies.

Their work often remains invisible. Yet behind an iconic dress, there is sometimes a textile innovation that enabled the couturier to take their imagination further.

Before it becomes a great fashion creation, a great dress begins with a great fabric.

Julie Dodet, Exhibition Curator

BROCHIER SOIERIES, 130 YEARS OF SILK, GOLD AND SILVER
Exhibition from October 1, 2026
Musée Soieries Brochier
18 quai Jules Courmont, 69002 Lyon

L’article It All Begins with the Fabric est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

At first glance, there may be nothing to distinguish one dress from hundreds of others. And yet, certain fabrics catch the eye.

After spending so much time working with the archives, patterns gradually become familiar. A flower, a geometric design, a particular way of making gold shimmer or working with velvet can suddenly trigger a memory. There are also old photographs, samples preserved by the house and the recollections of those who worked there. Little by little, a visual and tactile memory takes shape, made up of images, materials, couturiers’ names and technical details.

And sometimes, an intuition emerges: this dress might have been made from a Brochier Soieries fabric.

The eye and memory of a silk maker

To find out, I turn to Paul Bergeron.

Paul Bergeron spent his entire career with the house as Brochier Soieries’ workshop and production manager. He purchased the raw materials, silk, gold threads and Lurex. He determined how the fabrics would be woven, worked with the manufacturers and placed the orders. He knows these fabrics from the inside out, from the choice of thread to the moment they came off the loom.

Now in his nineties, he remains a living memory of this production.

I send him a photograph of a dress discovered among so many others. His answer is often unequivocal: “No, that’s not ours.” But sometimes comes the answer I have been hoping for: “Ah yes, this one, without a doubt, it’s ours. I remember it, I made it!”

Sometimes, he even remembers the reference number assigned to the fabric by the house several decades earlier: “93-254, 19-444, 3082…”

These moments give the research a very special dimension. The dress is no longer simply an object glimpsed on a screen. It recovers an origin, a workshop, the gestures involved in making it and sometimes even the voice of the person who helped create it.

Some discoveries feel almost miraculous

Dress by James Galanos in jacquard silk velvet and gold thread

When I was working on the creation of the museum, I kept a Bianchini-Férier sample that I particularly loved beside my computer. It combined gold threads and velvet. I did not yet know how I would incorporate it into the story, but there was something about the pattern that held my attention, so I kept it close at hand.

One day, while searching online, a dress by the great American couturier James Galanos appeared on my screen.

It featured exactly the same pattern as the sample lying beside my computer.

Returning to the archives, I found a photograph from a Paco Rabanne fashion show in which a model is wearing a monumental cape made from the same fabric, along with samples showing the different colourways. Everything matched. The fabric that had been quietly sitting beside me for months had suddenly found its dress.

Identifying a piece is only the beginning of the adventure

The next step is to contact its owner or seller, sometimes negotiate its acquisition, and then arrange its transport. Many of the dresses now held in the museum’s collection have travelled a very long way, particularly from the United States and Australia. Anything can happen in transit, take it from me. One of them even had to be rescued from a dog’s mouth…

Once the dress arrives in Lyon, the investigation continues. Its date of creation must be established, the couturier precisely identified, sources compared and its history documented. Finally, the piece must be inventoried, photographed, carefully packed and preserved under appropriate conditions until it can be presented to the public.

Each dress we rediscover adds another page to the history of the house.

It bears witness to an encounter between a couturier and a silk maker, between a silhouette and a material. It also reminds us that behind the great names of fashion are workshops, technicians, designers, weavers and an entire chain of expertise that has often remained invisible.

Julie Dodet, Exhibition Curator

BROCHIER SOIERIES, 130 YEARS OF SILK, GOLD AND SILVER
Exhibition from October 1, 2026
Musée Soieries Brochier
18 quai Jules Courmont, 69002 Lyon

L’article In Search of Brochier Soieries Dresses est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

Tracking down the dresses made from Brochier Soieries fabrics would prove to be a true investigation.

Evening dress for Madame de Bligny by Paul Poiret, pleated silver lamé and silk

Once woven, the fabrics were sent to couture houses in Paris and Milan, as well as in the United States and Australia. After being transformed into garments in some of the finest ateliers, they appeared on the runway before finding their way into private collections and museums, sometimes on the other side of the world.

Each new identification feels almost miraculous and brings a genuine sense of emotion: the thrill of seeing a creation reappear whose story had been lost to us. Little by little, the discoveries multiplied, and one conviction emerged: these fabrics woven from silk, gold and silver deserved an exhibition of their own.

As the exhibition project took shape, the story itself continued to unfold.

While our research was uncovering new dresses made from Brochier Soieries fabrics, the house was simultaneously developing new projects using gold and silver threads. A collaboration with artist Thomas Henriot gave rise to a series of monumental works woven with gold, while new textile research was undertaken for Rick Owens. Meanwhile, Brochier Technologies continued to develop innovative textiles incorporating metallic threads.

The exhibition then took on its full meaning: it was no longer simply telling a story, but revealing a creative process that is still very much alive.

Brochier Soieries, 130 Years of Silk, Gold and Silver invites visitors to see things from a different perspective.

Where the eye might first be drawn to the silhouette, a silk maker’s gaze turns first and foremost to the fabric. Behind every dress lie months of research, experimentation and dialogue between textile designers, weavers, metallic-thread manufacturers, finishers and couturiers.

Because a fabric is not only meant to be looked at, the exhibition also offers a tactile experience. Visitors are invited to touch some of the materials and discover their suppleness, texture and lustre –  another way of understanding what makes a silk house unique.

From the gold lamés created for Paul Poiret and Yves Saint Laurent to the most contemporary textiles, the exhibition reveals how the same fascination with material has continued, for more than 130 years, to fuel the imagination of artists, couturiers and the teams at Brochier Soieries.

Julie Dodet, Exhibition Curator

BROCHIER SOIERIES, 130 YEARS OF SILK, GOLD AND SILVER
Exhibition from October 1, 2026
Musée Soieries Brochier
18 quai Jules Courmont, 69002 Lyon

L’article The Story Behind an Exhibition est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

For more than seven centuries, Lyon has maintained a unique relationship with silk. From the earliest weaving workshops to the great maisons that continue this exceptional craftsmanship today, silk weaving remains one of the city’s most emblematic heritage assets. This prestigious history attracts visitors from all over the world every year, eager to discover the legacy of the canuts and the excellence of Lyon’s textile tradition.

But in a market where authenticity has become a major challenge, how can consumers identify the true actors who actually manufacture locally?

A Label Guaranteeing Origin and Know-How

Created by the City of Lyon, the “Fabriqué à Lyon” label was designed to highlight companies that genuinely design and manufacture their products within the Lyon metropolitan area. It serves as a valuable reference point for consumers seeking transparency and authenticity.

Beyond a simple distinction, this label provides a guarantee: that the product purchased is the result of local expertise, carried by companies that actively contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of the Lyon metropolis.

In a context where notions of origin, traceability, and local production are increasingly important, the label helps establish a long-lasting relationship of trust between companies and their customers.

Preserving Consumer Trust

The attractiveness of Lyon silk represents a major opportunity for industry professionals, but it can also lead to certain abuses.

Recently, a case once again highlighted the importance of transparency regarding the true origin of marketed products. When a business claims a heritage or Lyon-based manufacturing without being able to substantiate it, not only is the consumer potentially misled, but the entire industry risks having its reputation weakened.

In this sector, confusion can sometimes arise between silk houses—such as Brochier Soieries, Bianchini-Férier, Manufacture Prelle, Tassinari & Chatel, Tissages Perrin, Sfate & Combier, Guigou, Denis & Fils, Soieries Chambutaires, Soieries Cheval, Bouton Renaud, Benaud Créations, Dutel, Bélinac, or Julien Faure—which design and produce their fabrics within a genuine textile manufacturing logic, and other actors whose activity is limited to resale while still using the codes and vocabulary of Lyon silk production.

Trust is a precious asset. It is built on sincerity of practice and on the ability of companies to demonstrate the authenticity of their craftsmanship. The “Fabriqué à Lyon” label directly supports this requirement for clarity.

Preserving More Than 700 Years of History

Silk is an integral part of Lyon’s identity. It has shaped the city’s urban development, economy, culture, and international influence.

Every actor who continues this tradition today carries a particular responsibility: to transmit a heritage that goes far beyond commercial activity. When misleading practices blur public understanding, an entire shared history risks being diminished.

Preserving the image of Lyon silk means protecting a heritage built over centuries by generations of artisans, designers, weavers, and entrepreneurs.

Brochier Soieries, Committed Since the Creation of the Label

Brochier Soieries is among the companies committed to promoting Lyon’s craftsmanship heritage from the very beginning.

Labelled since the creation of the “Fabriqué à Lyon” scheme, the house reaffirms its commitment to demanding local production and to preserving the trades that made Lyon silk famous. The Lyon Tourist Office confirms that the Maison has been labelled since the launch of the scheme in 2022.

This official recognition confirms a long-standing commitment: to design and produce textile creations rooted in the great tradition of Lyon silk manufacturers, while meeting contemporary expectations of quality, traceability, and authenticity.

A Shared Commitment Among Leading Lyon Houses

Brochier Soieries is not alone in defending this vision. Other iconic Lyon houses, such as chocolate maker Voisin, have also chosen to engage from the earliest editions of the label in order to promote their respective craftsmanship.

This collective commitment reflects a shared ambition: to showcase authentic Lyon-made production and provide consumers with reliable reference points in their choices.

Choosing Authenticity

Purchasing a product certified with the “Fabriqué à Lyon” label is far more than a simple buying decision. It means supporting companies that preserve local craftsmanship, sustaining excellence-based trades, and contributing to the transmission of a unique heritage.

For Brochier Soieries, this distinction represents both recognition and responsibility: to continue upholding the excellence of Lyon silk with the same level of rigor that has defined the house since its creation in 1890.

In a world where product origin is sometimes difficult to identify, the “Fabriqué à Lyon” label provides a clear benchmark. A guarantee of authenticity serving consumer trust and the preservation of a heritage that has made Lyon proud for more than 700 years.

L’article “Fabriqué à Lyon” Label: A Guarantee of Authenticity Serving Lyon’s Heritage est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

© André Chabert

A remarkable project to revive an exceptional Lyonnais textile heritage.

An Ambitious Heritage Restoration Project

In September 2024, Cédric Brochier launched an ambitious initiative: restoring a historic Jacquard mechanism discovered in the family home. To take on this challenge, he partnered with the associations Tissage Mattelon and Soierie Vivante, both dedicated to preserving Lyon’s textile expertise. The goal? To bring a Jacquard loom back into working order, once again producing figured silks—and to give new life to an iconic design by Raoul Dufy.

The Origins of the Project

The story begins in 2018, when Cédric Brochier acquired a hand loom dating from the 1840s, equipped with a simple 104-hook mechanism designed for weaving plain fabrics.
In 2024, a new ambition emerged: replacing this system with a 744-hook Jacquard mechanism inherited from Jacques Brochier. This transformation makes it possible to create complex patterns and marks a key milestone in showcasing textile heritage. The project reflects a clear vision: to present a fully operational production tool at the heart of the museum, while bringing to life Leaves, a design by Raoul Dufy.

A Technical and Human Challenge

Restoring the loom has required a wide range of rare skills. Each stage highlights the project’s complexity:
the manual threading of 6,400 silk threads, the preparation of the harness, the mounting of warp threads, and all the mechanical adjustments required for weaving. One of the greatest challenges lies in producing the Jacquard punch cards from Dufy’s design—a skill that has now almost disappeared in Europe.To overcome this, innovative solutions were developed: Mehdi Maleki created a dedicated software program for punching the cards, while Brochier Technologies handled the laser cutting of the 500 required cards and produced new needles using 3D printing. A remarkable combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.

© André Chabert

Coming into Operation Soon

The project is now entering its final phase. Initial weaving tests in silk satin are underway, while the installation of the “card run” system—allowing the Jacquard cards to circulate through the mechanism—completes the setup.

From September onward, the restored loom will be fully operational.

A Living Experience to Discover

Museum visitors will be able to attend daily demonstrations as part of guided tours led by Justine and Lou-Ange. A unique immersion at the crossroads of heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation.

Book your visit: https://visites.brochiersoieries.com/en/
Adults: €12
Children / Students: €8
Duration: 1 hour
Tours available in French and English

To Go Further

Tissage Mattelon
Visits by appointment (9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
https://tissagemattelon.wixsite.com/mattelon

Soierie Vivante
Daily guided tours
https://www.soierie-vivante.asso.fr/en_GB

Musée du Tissage et de la Soierie
Daily guided tours
https://www.museedutissage.com/en

L’article A 19th-Century Jacquard Loom Comes Back to Life at the Brochier Soieries Museum est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

We are pleased to announce that TF1’s documentary series Grands Reportages will air a special episode on Saturday, November 29, focusing on a significant chapter in the life of the Soieries Brochier Museum: the acquisition of new silk dresses, following the exceptional donation made by Lili Gaubin from Chicago.

This documentary highlights a meaningful cultural and human story rooted in Lyon’s silk heritage and the broader textile legacy. Viewers will discover the behind-the-scenes process of this international donation—from the identification of these unique pieces to their arrival at the museum, including their preparation, conservation, and integration into our collections.

Throughout the episode, the TF1 team immerses itself in the world of Brochier Soieries and our long-standing Lyonnais silk craftsmanship, passed down through generations. The report illustrates how these dresses enrich the museum’s heritage while demonstrating the strong connection between fashion, couture, artistic textiles, and Lyon’s artisanal know-how.

We extend our warmest thanks to Lili Gaubin for her generosity and trust, and to the Grands Reportages team for their thoughtful perspective and their interest in preserving Lyon’s cultural heritage.

Tune in to TF1 on Saturday, November 29, to explore this unique story celebrating silk, textile creation, and the transmission of heritage.

L’article The New Dresses of the Soieries Brochier Museum Featured in TF1’s “Grands Reportages” est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

From July 18 to November 16, 2025

Dufy, the “ornamentist of happiness”

Celebrated for his luminous Mediterranean landscapes, vibrant artworks, and lively scenes, Raoul Dufy (1877–1953) was also a major figure in modern textile design. Influenced by Impressionism and later Fauvism, he never fully embraced Cubism, favoring instead a freer, more festive use of color. Having settled in Hyères in the 1920s, Dufy drew inspiration from the region’s radiant light and joyful atmosphere, which shine through the patterns on display. His representations of gardens, architecture, and local scenes are mirrored in his textile creations.

Brochier Soieries: expertise behind the scenes

In partnership with the City of Hyères and Villa Noailles, Brochier Soieries has loaned archive materials from the Maison Bianchini Férier along with exclusive creations for the exhibition. Nearly 55 original patterns by Dufy are presented, printed on silk, velvet, or cotton, and framed like so many joyful variations on ornamental themes. These works testify to the artist’s collaboration with prestigious houses such as Bianchini Férier, for whom he created up to 3,000 motifs—transforming his gouaches into luxurious fabrics.

Fashion and haute couture: a creative dialogue

The exhibition features 25 exceptional dresses designed by some of the biggest names in fashion, using Dufy’s motifs to elevate the silhouette. Among them: pieces by Paul Poiret, Chanel, Christian Lacroix, Agnès b., as well as costumes by Catherine Leterrier and Anthony Powell. Highlights include a dressing gown with Dufy’s cheetah and elephant patterns worn by Valérie Lemercier in the film 100% Cachemire, and a robe featuring Dufy’s Chinese Horse design worn by Benoît Poelvoorde as Étienne Balsan in Coco Before Chanel.

An immersive experience: from studio to runway

The exhibition design by Frédéric Beauclair offers a sensory journey through the creative process—from preparatory sketches and carved stamps to fabric samples and printed hangings. Visitors are invited to step into the experience of a silk workshop, where creation and craftsmanship come together.

A key moment in the visit: a runway-style display of iconic dresses, where Dufy’s patterns come alive on the body, reviving the subtle balance between fine art and fashion.

Practical Information

Dates: July 18 – November 16, 2025
Venue: Musée de la Banque – Museum of Cultures and Landscape, Hyères
Opening hours:
– Tuesday to Friday: 11 am – 7 pm
– Saturday: 3 pm – 7 pm
– Sunday: 10 am – 2 pm
Admission: €7 (reduced rates available)

L’article Discover the exhibition “Raoul Dufy and Fashion” at the Musée de la Banque in Hyères. est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

On the occasion of the Lyon Braderie Festival, La Maison Brochier Soieries welcomes all those involved in Lyon’s silk industry for a festive weekend of discovery and demonstrations of the silk trades.

Brochier Soieries, L’Atelier de soierie, Soierie vivante, Tissage Mattelon, Things with soul, Raconte moi Lyon, Brochier Soieries Vieux Lyon, the Musée Soieries Brochier and the Musée des Soieries Bonnet invite you to discover the history and know-how of Lyon’s silk industry:

• Watch a mini silkworm farm from Brochier Soieries Vieux Lyon.
• Watch demonstrations of Lyonnaise frame printing, hand-painting on silk and velvet panne de soie at the Atelier de Soierie.
• Talk to passionate silk printers.
• Meet inspired and inspiring silk designers.
• Experience the principles of weaving on small looms with Soierie Vivante.
• Become a designer for a day… Using a sewing bust as your inspiration, imagine a fashion creation using silk fabrics with the Musée des Soieries Bonnet.
• Discover the historic workshops of La Croix-Rousse, including the family hand-weaving workshop of the famous master weaver Georges Mattelon, listed as a historic monument, Madame Létourneau’s passementerie workshop and the Soierie Vivante weaving workshop.

Scarves, ties, fabrics by the meter, coupons, end-of-series items, creative workshops, cultural visits and unusual tours are just some of the suggestions to get you ready for the festive season.

Brochier Soieries Silk Festival, au coeur de la soie
Location Cour de L’Atelier de soierie, 33 rue romarin Lyon 1er
Date: 11-12-13 octobre 2024
Opening hours: 11h-19h

L’article Brochier Soieries silk festival, Au coeur de la soie 11-12-13 october 2024 est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.