Dec 14, 2020rencontres

Creative conversation with Laurane @laurane_couture

I discovered Laurane and her couture creations a year ago when she participated (and won!) the first edition of the #jecoudsmarobedefête competition . I invite you to meet her!

Who are you and what brought you to sewing?

My name is Laurane, I am 24 years old and I am from Haute-Savoie, now living in Alsace. I have always done a lot of sport and I spent my high school years in my dance school, between shows and competitions. I expressed my creativity through my choreographies.
I have always been sensitive to fashion, asking my seamstress grandmother to sew me princess dresses, but I had never considered sewing.
In preparation for my graduation gala at the end of my first year at university, I searched for several weeks for a perfect dress without finding it. I finally borrowed a dress from my sister, which did not fit me at all (I realized it by looking at the photos). That's when I said to myself "if I knew how to sew, I could have made the dress of my dreams". A little over a year later, I took my first sewing class, starting with my graduation gala dress!
Sewing has slowly replaced my passion for dance (which I have not completely abandoned).
Today, I can't stop! Always with a dress in progress (my favorite thing to sew), or a sewing project for friends or family. Once or twice a year I sew myself an outfit to go see my grandmother in the south, a seamstress by trade, who examines all the finishes to tell me if I've made progress!

What is your creative process: are you a go-getter or a thinker?

So, I would tend to say half and half! At the beginning, I tended to buy as soon as I liked a fabric, which means that today I find myself with entire boxes of fabric!
After several favorite sewing projects that I never ended up wearing, I'm now trying to think more. When I have a model in mind, I take more time to think carefully about the materials, the colors I like to wear, what I'm going to wear it with (to avoid that famous piece that doesn't go with anything), whether I'm going to wear it a lot or not (which also tells me how much I'm going to spend on the fabric).
Besides that, when I am dropped off at a fabric market or at a private Atelier Brunette sale, it is clear that I work on impulse and then think about what I am going to do with it! And it is rather pleasant to see a pattern, and to think that we can start sewing that same evening because we already have the material in stock!
I think that in sewing, it is often more reasonable to take the time to think carefully, but it is important to leave room for the heart. And after all, "a seamstress is above all a fabric collector"!

Do you practice other creative hobbies? Or do you want to try other hobbies besides sewing?

I have always been passionate about creative hobbies, I did a lot of pottery, drawing, scrapbooking and jewelry making (in fimo clay or beads) as a child and teenager. Today I devote myself exclusively to sewing.
I tried embroidery a year ago, it was a real failure! I won't admit defeat and I'm going to try again, I would really like to be able to embroider messages or flowers to finish my creations.

What is the creation you are most proud of?

Two years ago, I sewed myself a dress to go to a wedding. I had in mind a Marilyn Monroe-inspired dress, and so I bought some fabric from Mondial Tissus, telling myself that it would be a test for a first homemade pattern. So I made a backless top in molding, facing my bathroom mirror of 30x30cm, sewn to a fully lined circle skirt. It was the first dress that I created myself from A to Z, without a pattern. After shedding a little tear of pride, I knew that I had succeeded when at the wedding someone said to me "wow your dress is so beautiful, where did you buy it?".

creative meeting laurane couture

And on the contrary, can you tell us about your worst creative failure?

Wow, there have been several! They are often sewing projects where the shape doesn't suit me, and that's coupled with a bad choice of fabric. My biggest failure is I think the Eugénie blouse from Atelier Scammit. I saw lots of versions on Instagram, I said to myself "come on, my turn!". I didn't realize that I didn't have enough fabric to make my three-quarter sleeves, so I ended up with sleeves reaching my elbows. I had made it in double gauze, the drape at the gathers was really unsightly... In short, a sewing project that I never wore. The worst thing is that I did it again and the second version was worse, I think that's a sign that this pattern is not for me!

What are your favorite DIY addresses?

My first gold mine is garage sales! My mother is a big fan of second-hand goods, she always finds me little gems when I can't come with her. We love rummaging, often finding more or less old haberdashery, unique mismatched buttons that can't be found anywhere else, old vintage Vogue or Burda patterns, fabric scraps that have their own story, or beautiful clothes to salvage the fabric or haberdashery.
Otherwise, I love the haberdashery of Bain aux plantes in Strasbourg, a small haberdashery run by a couple, who hide real wonders in its walls full of drawers!
Afterwards, I admit that I love all the stores where there is a bit of everything, pretty pens, original sheets, fancy stickers... All that makes me want to create!

creative meeting laurane couture

Which Instagram accounts inspire you?

In terms of Instagram accounts, I admit that there are quite a few!
To choose just a few, there is @lisa.cordeiro , I love her soft world, which reminds me a bit of a good hot chocolate under a blanket by the fire.
I really like the @camille.lefrere account, which makes me want to get out of my comfort zone, with its creations, each more colorful than the last.
The account @lesrosesdelouise also inspires me a lot, this wedding dress designer has incredible talent and each of her dresses reflects her passion for her profession.
To quote more famous accounts, I really like the work of @charlottejaubert , which is full of positivity, which makes you want to believe in your dreams and do what you love in life; and the accounts of @makemylemonade and @lisagachet which make you want to create all the time and in all possible ways!

creative meeting laurane couture