Lyon’s last remaining family-run silk company is finding innovative ways to weave new life into its age-old textiles
Few brands can claim to have been at the top of the fabric game for as long as Prelle, whose origins date back to 1752. The long-standing producer has passed through six generations and two families (the Prelles and the Verziers), and with over two centuries of experience in adorning historic interiors such as the Versailles palace and the Louvre Museum, it’s safe to say that today it is widely considered the French expert in silk weaving. But when you have achieved such unprecedented prominence, what comes next?
For general director Sabine Verzier, it’s all about balancing heritage with textiles that tell stories that are relevant to homes today. ‘Curiosity is key; seeing past preconceived ideas of what textiles can be and imagining what can be done with a simple crossing of threads,’ she explains. ‘Sometimes, it is about giving motifs a second life, to be interpreted in a new way that gives the design a different read and story.’ As an example, she cites the brand’s silk brocade ‘Brocatelle Genji’ (a rich textile with a raised pattern), which Prelle transformed from a traditional Japanese kimono belt found in the company’s archive into a silky brocatelle with moody colours to give it ‘a modern twist’.
It’s all about balancing heritage with textiles that tell stories that are relevant to homes today
