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Lyse Drouaine, DS X Métiers d Art 2023 Winner

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DS x MÉTIERS D'ART brings to light traditional know-how, key to creativity and innovation. This competition, hosted by a prestigious jury, is dedicated to promoting the intelligence of the hand and ensuring its transmission. Lyse Drouaine, winner of the second edition, sculpts light. A graduate of Duperré in 2012 and founder of the LUXDAWN brand in 2019, her atelier is located in the Cité de la tapisserie in Aubusson, a renowned French centre of craft excellence.

How would you define your relationship with light?

 

I've been working with light since I was a student. It's a physical and symbolic relationship: in utero, the foetus perceives variations in light, which are very subtle and muted. This light enfolds us in a state of well-being, security and warmth. Luxdawn or 'dawn light' refers to this moment of awakening, this state of absolute grace, and infinity. In practice, adding light to woven materials for interior design projects reconnects us with this primitive and universal experience.

 

To what extent did working with a car as a support stimulate your creativity?

 

The technical constraints of the competition, linked to the shape, volume and illumination of the calander object, meant that I had to weave using specially adapted tools, a new technique and a combination of weaving and tapestry. I also had the opportunity to work with DS Automobiles' CMF (Colours, Materials, Finishes) department during the competition, which allowed me to explore new ways of working with my material.

 

Why 'Incidence' as a project title?

 

In physics, the word 'incidence' refers to the meeting of a ray of light and a transparent surface. I usually work with materials made of optical fibres or diffusing fibres. But the competition rules required a different method: backlighting. A luminous screen was placed behind the surface to be worked on. The name "Incidence" evokes this idea of transparency and the handling of light.

 

Could you tell us about the research you carried out to come up with the final version of the project?

 

One of my main objectives was to enhance the brand's logo, which is central here. The process of creating 'Incidence' took several steps, including sampling, finding finishes, and adjusting the weave to fit the object. The weaving is based on a gradient pattern, developed using CAD tools, and fine-tuned after several sampling phases and extensive research into finishes. The project took a total of five months of work, marked by the various selection steps in the competition.

 

What does Paris Fashion Week mean to you?

 

DS Automobiles, which promotes exceptional French craftsmanship, is an official partner of the event. It's a unique opportunity for the major fashion houses and emerging designers to unveil their collections through catwalk shows and presentations, in both physical and digital formats. I remember a fashion show in March 2021, when DS made cars available to Coperni to ensure that the show could happen despite the sanitary crisis. Paris Fashion Week thus becomes an opportunity to encourage encounters between different artistic fields.