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.

The exhibition A Passion for Silk: the Road from China to Europe, held from April 11 to September 1, 2024 at the City University of Hong Kong, unveils exceptional pieces from private collections including Brochier Soieries and Bianchini Férier.

China has been exporting goods to Europe since Neolithic times, though then the desired commodity was jade. Silk only came to prominence during the Han dynasty, around 130-100 BCE, with the creation of various silk routes (by land and by sea), going to ancient Egypt, Persia, and the Greek and Roman empires.

China guarded the secret of silk production well, with heavy penalties (capital punishment) for infringement. A few tales attest to early industrial espionage. Around 440 CE a Chinese princess supposedly smuggled silkworm eggs to a prince of Khotan, a kingdom on the edge of the Taklamakan desert. And in the mid-sixth century CE, Emperor Justinian apparently hired Nestorian monks to smuggle silkworm eggs out of China, bringing sericulture to Constantinople and Byzantium.

Knowledge of silk production moved westward through various channels. By the end of the third century BCE, for instance, waves of Chinese immigrants had brought sericulture to Korea, and by the third century CE Japan had also learned the art of sericulture. Shortly after 300 CE, domesticated silkworms were bred in India; and by the sixth century, the Persians had mastered silk technology, as well as Islamic kingdoms around the Mediterranean. Sericulture finally arrived in Europe around the 10th century, with the Italians establishing important centres of silk cultivation in such key cities as Lucca, Genoa, Florence and Venice.

L’exposition A Passion for Silk: the Road from China to Europe met en avant l’impact de la soie chinoise sur l’Asie et le Moyen Orient et présente la richesse et la diversité des créations européennes et tout particulièrement françaises.

The exhibition A Passion for Silk: the Road from China to Europe highlights the impact of Chinese silk on Asia and the Middle East, and presents the richness and diversity of European creations, particularly those from France.

The exhibition catalog is available on the City University of Hong Kong.

L’article Exhibition A Passion for Silk: the Road from China to Europe est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

Brochier Soieries, Recent History of Lyon Silk

Interview with Cédric Brochier,
Erasme, A web documentary on the textile industry of the Lyon Metropolis

In 1890, fueled by a profession in full effervescence, Jean Brochier launched the Lyon silk house Brochier Soieries. A true conductor of all the essential know-how for the realization of silks, he created fabric collections, financed silk purchases, had the threads spun, dyed, and engraved. He provided work, raw materials, and patterns to weavers and printers and ensured the sale of fabrics to customers.

L’article Recent history of Lyon’s silk industry est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.

The ancient history of Lyon silk is intimately linked to kings.

Interview with Cédric Brochier,
Erasme, A web documentary on the textile industry of the Lyon Metropolis

The ancient history of Lyon silk is intimately linked to kings: Charles VII, François I, Henri IV, Louis XIV, and then Napoleon I all ardently contributed to the development of the silk industry in Lyon.

In the 15th century, Lyon became an important center of European trade. King Charles VII granted the city the right to organize several tax-free fairs. Among other goods, many silks from Italy were sold there.

King François I supported and encouraged the establishment of the first two Italian weavers in Lyon. Privileges concerning the production of gold, silver, and silk fabrics were granted to them, allowing them to attract the best foreign workers. The activity quickly prospered.

The Wars of Religion broke out, and major merchants and manufacturers left the city. Workers, lacking work, joined competing Italian cities. The high taxation on the import of raw silk by King Charles IX led to a significant loss of competitiveness. The activity declined.

King Henri IV revived the silk industry by encouraging and supporting the development of silkworm breeding, particularly in the Cévennes and Ardèche regions. Meanwhile, techniques evolved: Claude Dangon imported and improved the “grande tire” loom, which now allowed the production of beautiful fabrics in a large width.

During the reign of King Louis XIV, Colbert rigorously regulated the profession: the Lyon fabric organized all those involved in weaving from 1667. It specified the quality of productions and the organization of an original production model. Orders for gold and silver brocades to furnish various royal residences poured in. Lyon merchants exported throughout Europe the innovations they created for the fashion of Versailles and Paris. Collections with original patterns quickly followed, leaving behind Italian, English, or Dutch competition struggling to keep up with the pace set by Lyon silk manufacturers.

The French Revolution dealt a severe blow to the Lyon fabric, but Napoleon I vigorously revived the sector with very important orders destined, among others, for the Tuileries Palace and the Fontainebleau Palace, and encouraged official elites to wear silk. The Jacquard loom, once developed by Joseph Marie Jacquard in Lyon, was very successful and quickly replaced the draw looms. It allowed for significant time savings and the weaving of much more complex patterns, although the selling price remained very high.

In the 19th century, the upheaval of social structures saw the rise of the bourgeoisie, who, like the nobility, wanted to dress in silk. Lyon silk then reached its peak. It became the most powerful French export industry and outperformed all other silk industries in Europe.

Lyon became the world capital of silk.

To learn more, visit the Musée Soieries Brochier.

L’article The ancient history of Lyon’s silk industry is intimately linked to the kings est apparu en premier sur Brochier Soieries.