01 Jul FRIDAY FILES – The Finer Detail Of Passementerie
Above: Declercq Passementier featured in Palace Versaille. Photo credit: EPV/Thomas Garnie.
Ever wanted to walk in the footsteps of Marie Antoinette in 18th Century Paris and Versaille?
Now you can. With the exquisite craftsmanship of Declercq passementerie, every trim, bullion fringe, tassel and velvet braid has been restored in The Meridian Cabinet, the intimate boudoir in the apartment of Marie Antoinette at the Palace of Versailles.
After three years of architectural restoration of the room, the Palace of Versaille Conservation looked at the refurnishing of the fabrics of those that the Queen knew in 1784. Lilac and chartreuse were used throughout – these colours were identified using modern techniques thanks to a colour analysis laboratory on the remains of upholstery fabrics.
Declercq had its beginnings in Paris in 1852. Generations of craftspeople have handed down their expertise and ancestral techniques in this rare trade. The 6th generation of this family now runs the business. Below is a selection of the Declercq passementerie available.
Fast forward to 2022 and we see Declercq passementerie being used in elegant modern-day settings from Paris to New York to Sydney.
Above left: Chambre de la Reine at Chateau Versailles. Above right: The Château de Compiègne is a French château, a royal residence built for Louis XV and restored by Napoleon. Compiègne was one of three seats of royal government, the others being Versailles and Fontainebleau. It is located in Compiègne in the Oise department and is open to the public. Featured here is a bedroom with Declercq passementerie throughout.
Top row: Tiebacks and trims at Hotel de la Marine. Middle row: Set design by Anne Pericchi Draeger featuring Declercq tieback with silk curtaining; Nouvelle collection in bleu et rouge. Bottom row: Marabout tondu on contemporary cushion by Anne Perricchi Draeger; Tie-backs col nero. ((Photo credits: Declercq, Hotel de la Marine and anne_perricchidraeger instagram).