With a sparkle in his eye, these were the words of wisdom shared with me by François Lesage on January 20, 2011, on a visit to the Lesage atelier in Paris. I was visiting the workshop while working on an article for the Wall Street Journal (“The Old-World Artistry Behind the Modern House of Chanel.” Wall Street Journal Magazine, May 2011) and it was my good fortune that Monsieur was there….
In December of 2011 Mr. Lesage passed away. The world of Haute Couture mourns a down-to-earth gentleman with a great sense of humor, and an artistic passion for his craft, and the desire to create beauty that had him still coming to the studios at age 82. François Lesage took over the business from his parents in 1949.
He invented.
He experimented.
He coaxed.
He solved problems.
And he mentored the world of Haute Couture.
Paradise – that is where he must be – an embroidered, dramatically enhanced paradise it must now be.
The Lesage School, his legacy
To secure the future of the Lesage name and the profession, François Lesage started The Lesage School. The Lesage school is the most prestigious school for teaching the needle arts, for Haute Couture and interior design. Open since 1992, many students from around the world have come to Paris to immerse themselves in the hours required to become skilled in a craft and to enter into a universe dedicated to the preservation of the artistic heritage of embroidery.
January 14, 2012
