Design Daily: Passementerie from MK Collection
Author:Sarah Virginia WhiteIf you’ve never heard of passementerie, you’re not alone. It’s a French word that refers to elaborate handmade fabric trimmings—think braided silver or silk for tassles, fringes and pompoms—and the items aren’t anything you’ll find in your local design store. Which makes the new Sag Harbor passementerie line from MK Collection all the more interesting.
Designer Melissa Kirkpatrick, founder of the Los Angeles-based fabric company, had trouble finding the right trimmings to complement her fabrics, so she sourced century-old looms in Europe and created her own line. The cotton accoutrements come in five different designs: braids, cords, fringes, tassels and tiebacks. They’re hand-dyed in neutral colors, which gives them enough versatility to accent both traditional and contemporary designs.
I’ve been interested in passementerie since Lee Brooks and Greg Franke, of heritage jeweley brand Alex & Lee, showed me their collection of vintage passementerie cords from Paris. They weave them into fantastical objet trouvé jewelry, and I love that another California designer is finding a way to update this classical European tradition. Kirkpatrick’s decision to use cotton fabric lends a rich, rustic depth to the trimmings (plus they’re soft).
