Everything is handmade by us," says Marie-Marie Vergne (at right), one half of the aptly named Brussels firm Les Crafties, describing the duo's colorful patchwork creations. "They're like collages, but with textiles." She and her business partner, Jeanne Martin-Taton, first met 11 years ago at a specialized French arts high school. After studying textile design and visual arts at separate universities, the two officially teamed up to participate in the 2018 Design Parade competition in Toulon. Their installation, which Martin-Taton likens to a landscape, included chairs, a screen, and a magazine rack covered in their explosive patterns. As finalists, Les Crafties caught the attention of AD100 designer India Mahdavi, who has since kept them busy with commissions, including tapestries for the private screening room and poolhouse of an estate in the South of France (AD, October 2021). Most works start with drawing, material research, and pattern development before either designer touches a needle and thread. (Pictured at rear is a work in progress inspired by a forest at golden hour.) They're experimenting with other mediums, too, translating their bold compositions into wallpaper, ceramic, wood, and metal. But at the end of the day, fabric remains their true love. "It's a material that is really alive and always in movement," says Martin-Taton, who dreams of creating scenography for a music or dance performance. "There are endless possibilities."
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