Our story with Japanese textiles begins in the Northern Rivers, not far from Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia. Founded by Jane MacDonald over twenty years ago, this family business has now expanded to the Franché-Comté region of France, in a small village called Arc-et-Senans at the foot of the Jura Mountains.
Atelier
Our atelier is located in the courtyard of a former post house, called the Carré Claude-Nicolas. The Carré Claude-Nicolas is directly opposite the UNESCO World Heritage Site La Saline Royale, a visionary example of 18th century industrial architecture by the famous architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux.
We have a gift shop next door, called Artisan, offering the work of local makers, including objects featuring Japanese textiles from our collections. We also offer workshops in the Galerie Claude-Nicolas, with Yves from BeBe Bold, as well as guest teachers, catering to a range of interests including textiles, illustration and engraving.
In the same courtyard there are shops, a brasserie and a café accessible from the outside of the building.
The Saline Royale a visionary example of 18th century industrial architecture by the famous architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, just across the street from our BeBe Bold workshop.
Our suppliers
We have chosen to develop our catalogue exclusively with Japanese manufacturers. We strongly believe in supporting quality textiles made by companies with historical reputations. With fabrics made in Japan, the rights of textile workers are ensured and protected, which is important to us.
Our collections are developed in partnership with historic textile houses in Japan including:
Inazuma
Kobayashi
Nukumori
Olympus Thread
Tulip Needles
Olympus Thread was founded in 1908 and is based in Nagoya, specialising in yarn-dyed fabrics (sakizomemomen), traditional patterned fabrics (takumi), chambray cottons (tsumugi), sashiko, kogin, crochet and embroidery. Their products are uniquely made in Japan, resisting the trend towards mass production in favour of high-quality textiles with strong character.
Inazuma Accessories, based in Kyoto, has been in business for three generations. They are a family-owned company that produces accessories in a wide variety of materials, including shoulder straps, bag handles and straps, purse frames, buttons, zipper pulls and zippers.
Tulip Needles continues the three-hundred-year-old tradition of needlemaking in the Hiroshima area and we carry their entire range, including sashiko needles, beading needles, quilting needles, sewing needles, leather needles and many more. These needles are renowned worldwide for their strength, flexibility and unmatched quality.
The fact that these companies have thrived in a market increasingly stifled by mass commerce is a testament to their commitment to the authenticity and quality of the materials they produce, their appreciation of tradition and their vision for their place in the future of textiles and crafts. We are proud to be part of their story!
From traditional shibori, kasuri and katazome fabrics to contemporary yarn-dyed fabrics, we value with our suppliers in Japan the emphasis on producing high quality materials. This foundation of quality Japanese textiles is the core value in how we build our collections in Australia and France.
Textile tour of Japan
Jane and Yves also organise independent textile tours to Japan each year in collaboration with Australian travel agency Opulent Journeys. This is an opportunity to discover the beauty of Japan with a focus on Japanese textiles and crafts, with many workshops with local artisans.
