Lelievre brings textile industry to new era with innovative collections
As rich as velvet and woven gold, France's textile industry has been a strong economic and cultural pillar for the country since the 17th century. Among the proud hands that weaved the industry into global prominence is Lelièvre, whose century's worth of collections - ranging from classic silks to contemporary textured weaves and innovative flame-retardant fabrics - mirror the industry's history.
"The textile industry may be old, but it is not old-fashioned. Its markets and consumers are evolving - and so are we," says Emmanuel Lelièvre, managing director. "For us, evolution goes beyond adapting products to the changes. It is upholding excellent service, while pursuing incessant creativity on which Lelièvre was founded."
Working closely with textile mills in developing weaving processes using new threads and techniques, Lelièvre's integrated design studio and five in-house designers bring new fabrics to the market every six months. These include fresh collections for the residential and hospitality markets from Lelièvre's three other brands: Tassinari & Chatel, the name behind three centuries of silk know-how; Sonia Rykiel Maison, known for sophisticated and rebellious style demonstrating modern ideas; and Jean Paul Gaultier, bringing together haute couture and interior design with avant-garde creativity.
"No fabric can be more luxurious than these top-end collections, which we take pride in providing equally distinguished clients including Shangri-La Paris, Fontainebleau, the Louvre, Palacio Real de Madrid, the White House and the Peninsula Shanghai," Lelièvre says.
Recognising Asia's burgeoning economy and growing taste for luxury, Lelièvre sees the region as becoming an increasingly important market and targets 30 per cent year-on-year growth in the region.
"We look forward to strengthening our local presence and becoming more accessible to our growing Asian clientele, with whom we aim to share our products - and more importantly, our expertise," Lelièvre says.
http://www.lelievre.eu
