Artisans keep the artistic part of fashion alive

NEW YORK -- The fine line that separates fashion and art is more like a seam on a garment: When it's done well, it shouldn't be noticeable at all.

"Michelangelo was, in fact, in the handicraft of cutting stones," says Parisian embroiderer Francois Lesage. "So, I ask, where's the line between art and handicraft?"

Of course, in this day and age, most of our clothes are made by machine, which doesn't leave a lot of room for individual artistry, but that doesn't discourage craftsmen such as Lesage and feather maker Andre Lemarie.

"Embroidery has lasted so long because the textile is unique. It's what you need to make a special look. We're not looking to sell 10,000 pieces; 10 is OK," explains Lesage, whose family bought an 1868 company in 1926. The house has since produced 60,000 swatches over 60 million hours of work.

Karl Lagerfeld, artistic director for Chanel, sees the value in such pieces of art. Last year Chanel purchased five companies that are committed to preserving the handicrafts that are so important to high fashion.

Lagerfeld has named each of these houses (Desrues for costume jewelry, Lemarie for feathers, Lesage for embroidery, Massaro for shoes and Michel for millinery) "satellites" and he has created a "satellite love" collection that pays homage to each of these special skills.

"In the world of designer clothing today, whether it's ready-to-wear or the pinnacle of haute couture, the customer expects the exceptional handiwork," says Barbara Cirkva, executive vice president of fashion at Chanel.

Each Chanel handbag, for instance, undergoes 160 manufacturing steps, some done by hand and some by machine. That intricate process adds to the emotional and price value of the product -- "It's part of the magic they (customers) are buying," Cirkva says. "I think everyone today is so interested in having things that are unique and personalized and things that not everyone has."

Consumers also are interested in the history and story of garments and garment houses, she adds. The fact that Chanel now works with the grandson of the man who helped Coco Chanel create her first diamond and platinum jewelry collection in 1932 is worth something.

"There's nothing better than putting on something that looks great, makes you feel wonderful but it also has this story that goes with it," she says.

Chanel, though, is worried that these stories will become ancient legends. "One of the motivations why Chanel became involved with these five companies is the fear that these handicrafts would die, and that would mean our product couldn't be what we want it to be," says Cirkva.

Chanel's concerns are not unfounded. While there were 277 feather-makers in Paris in 1946, Lemarie is one of a handful still operating in France.

To some extent there has been a globalization of fashion artistry -- especially with jewelers and accessories manufacturers in New York and California, Cirkva notes, but overall there are far fewer sources for a designer to turn to when he requires really fine work.

Lesage says the demise of so many specialty fashion companies can be blamed on the expense of creating such time-consuming products but he's been keeping busy lately because embroidery is having a "fashion moment." "There is no limit in the expression achieved with embroidery," Lesage says during a phone interview from his Paris office.

"Embroidery is the only textile technique that is a completely free expression because it's always decoration," he adds. Besides the traditional weaving and blending, modern embroidery also includes holograms and heat transfers.

Additionally, Lesage has developed a system in which he makes an embroidery prototype by hand and then produces it for his ready-to-wear clients by machine.

To ensure that fine French embroidery lasts beyond his legacy, Lesage also opened a school on the premises of his small factory. "Some people thought I was crazy to give away my secrets, but keeping embroidery as an art alive was more important," he explains.

"Embroidery is almost a therapy. It's brought in a diversity of students: Some love embroidery, some love the concentration it requires. It's also pleasurable so some people do it just like some people paint or garden," says Lesage. "It's also a chance for new employment."