02.18.2013

If I have joined this wonderful adventure that is Tissus & Artisans du Monde (World Textiles & Artisans), it is because I love travel of course, authentic encounters and I wish to transcribe it into words and images. But more than anything, it is because I am a textile designer with a passion for fabrics and craft traditions from all around the world. I need to see things, to discover, to learn, to inspire myself, and then create. And if in addition I can share it all with you World Textiles & Artisans, it’s even better!

During my trip to Cambodia in early 2012, I met the Artisans Angkor team, a fairtrade company employing locally around 800 artisans on stone carving, wood, lacquer and of course hand woven silk in the Khmer traditional skills. Remember I have talked about it here.

Very open to design, Artisans Angkor was interested in my designer-reporter experience and my Eurasian temper. I was then asked to design their first capsule collection, a limited edition, to revisit their silk know-how.

This is how the In The Mood For Boheme by Magali An Berthon for Artisans Angkor has been launched last December 2012. A dozen hand-woven silk pieces, a cloakroom for the whole family: dad, mum, girl and boy, as an invitation to a chic and romantic bohemian journey. You can find it at the First Floor select store on Street 240 in Phnom Penh, until May 2013.

Rich collaborative work, from Paris to Siem Reap, from the early silhouettes sketches, inspiration search, drawing the iconic prints of the collection, choice of fabrics and colors, to the achievement of protypage phase. Designing a collection is a long and exciting process, when you made the choice of handmade and crafts.