Hand woven silk scarves

Hand woven silk scarves
SOIERIES DU MEKONG,
MERGING FRENCH CREATION
AND CAMBODIAN EXPERTISE
IN HAND WEAVING
Soieries du Mékong is a brand of high quality silk scarves
for men and women. Designed in France by a team of
passionate stylists, scarves and stoles take shape under the
skillful hands of weavers from the village of Banteay Chmar
in Cambodia. From dyeing the skeins of silk to the finishing
touches, everything is done by hand with great attention
to detail. The designers and weavers meet regularly, and
it is not unusual to see them working together, exchanging
ideas on weaving techniques. The authentic art of hand
weaving lives on through these scarves.
COLOUR
IN ITS PURE STATE
Skeins are dyed in various tones, and then the threads are
woven. From the incessant ballet of shuttles intertwining
on wooden looms, the final colour of a scarf comes to life.
Colours blend to form richly nuanced fabrics magnified
with the sheen of pure silk, a material that is both striking
and brilliant. Each scarf has a unique colour that shimmers
with light.
“NONE IS QUITE THE SAME,
OR LIKE ANY OTHER”...
The subtle play between the warp and weft threads create
shimmering ever-changing highlights of exquisite motifs. In
this way, the more than 3500 silk threads in the Prince of
Wales design are arranged across the width of the fabric
on the loom to create an inimitable rhythm of stripes. It
takes up to twelve hours of work to weave this scarf which
is nearly two metres long. The weave of the scarf allows
for diamond-shaped chevrons. This infinite and exacting
work can include the “lancé” technique to allow for the
embellishment of a scarf with tassels, or the “broché”
(brocade) technique, in which the weaver interrupts the
weaving and delicately slides in a thread of raw silk for a
richly textured effect.
A SENSORY
EXPERIENCE
Fine silk is fluid and naturally soft, and exceptional for
making scarves. Raw silk charms with its more rustic style
and its somewhat irregular appearance. Organza silk, a
cloth with a fine weave, permits a play of transparency
and lightness. There is always a different feeling to enjoy
depending on the type of silk and the density (number of
threads per centimetre) of the scarf. Each silk also has its
own emotion according to the weaving technique: warm,
aerial, soft, or silk wrap. Cloth weave brings crispness to
the silk, while twill weave (or silk twill) displays a touch that
is more silky and caressing.
SMOOTH COMPLICITY
Respect for their own traditional skill in hand weaving
makes Soieries du Mékong products unique and thus
creates the brand signature. The cottage industry nature
of this patient work gives rise to personal pieces whose
slight irregularities reinforce their charm and beauty. We
can always discover unknown glamour in a headscarf. Silk
is a living material for a fabric or stole that rests on the skin,
and with which we share a willing complicity.
A meaningful link
Founded by the NGOs Enfants du Mékong and Espoir en
Soie, Soieries du Mékong encourages the empowerment
of women in Cambodia’s rural zones by training them in
silk weaving and offering them decent work that values
their expertise. Today, 90 women are busy weaving and
sewing for Soieries du Mékong and supporting their
families. Each item is signed with its creator’s name and
picture. This identity card is also a fantastic invitation to
share in a human adventure. Satisfied customers, if they
wish, can check the Soieries du Mékong website and see
a film dedicated to the artisan who made their particular
scarf.
HOW TO FIND US
On line Boutique
www.soieriesdumekong.com
La Compagnie Française
de l’Orient et de la Chine
170, Boulevard Haussmann
75008 Paris
Bongénie (Switzerland)
34 rue du Marché
1204 Geneva
Customer service
+33(0) 1 47 91 75 24
Press Contact
Ayïn
Amélie Ducorney
+33 (0)9 81 94 14 61
amelie@ayin.fr