A story with one thing in common: creativity!
THE BIRTH OF THE PROJECT: A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP
I like to keep long-standing friendships alive, from 25 years ago. Because, if we continue to mutually grow this friendship, it is because we have evolved together, by being present for each other during the major stages of life, even if these friendships do not nourish each other. not everyday.
But, I also like getting to know new people, who perhaps correspond more to who I am today.
My meeting with Lise
I met Lise 8 years ago, she was the sister-in-law of one of my neighbors/friends. At the start, I didn't immediately feel that things could "stick" between us, because Lise is a fairly discreet person. On the other hand, I was immediately seduced by his creative universe, his illustrations, his career . Having recently arrived in Montpellier, she put all her heart and talent into fitting out their small town house, right next to us; pretty cement tiles, a bohemian terrace overflowing with plants, a house filled with life, laughter, and children's toys.
When we decided to create a room for the birth of our 3rd child, I naturally thought of her when designing this space. She made it into a little cocoon, with a built-in bed (I actually reused the paint, china tea shade from Little Ressource) and a small library alcove, perfect for storing my son's manga collections and settle down quietly for the evening story 😊.
The beginning of a beautiful friendship
It was during our sewing evenings, with Julie, another friend, that this friendship began to form. Laughter, intimate exchanges about our couples, our children, readings, family education, professional retraining, feminism, the ecology that we build daily in our lifestyles and that we try to pass on to our children…
They were the ones who took me in their arms when I was in the middle of separating from the father of my 3 children. Welcoming shoulders and comforting words, invaluable support in these periods of great upheaval, a real pillar when you feel like everything is falling apart.
Following confinement, Joël and Lise decided to leave Montpellier. Besides, I laugh when I think back to their research, which was original to say the least: “house in an idyllic setting” is a pretty fair search criterion, right?
Lise and Julie closely followed my professional reconversion journey.
TRINQUETTE INVITES INTO FRIENDSHIP
When I took over the Trinquette adventure, I wanted to make my mark, and to highlight creators whose work I admire.
The collaboration with Lili came naturally , because I love her creative universe and I found it consistent with that of Trinquette. She draws the plant and the feminine wonderfully well. But what form could this collaboration take? A fabric printed with Lili’s illustrations? Graphic design assignments?
Finally, the choice fell on her illustrations: Romane still had a stock of shopping bags, from the collaboration with Mariel @leblogdeneroli and Morgane @bestofvanity. A collaboration also born from a story of friendship; ultimately when the desire pushes us to work together, it gives very positive results!
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE CREATION OF THE TOTE BAG
The tote bags were designed by Romane, the founder of Trinquette, from whom I bought the brand in October 2022. Recently the mother of a little boy, she wanted to imagine a bag that was at once beautiful, practical and durable. .
- To resist life and the multiple facets of the woman, mother, entrepreneur, crossing them with elegance.
- To transport all the baby's logistics , and avoid the changing bags sold with the strollers which we no longer use when the child grows up (because we agree, it may be practical, but for a lunch with friends, there are better).
- To leave the house with everything that will come in during the day : computer, meal, water bottle, keys (but no, where did I put my keys again?!!), book, diary…
The material
Romane was therefore keen to find THE material that would give this bag a natural charm , resistance to everyday life . She chose a 90% cotton and 10% linen basket weave, OEKO TEX certified and coming from a French family business specializing in furnishing fabrics.
Manufacturing : Made in Montpellier
The prototyping of the bags, that is to say all the tests which then led to the final product, were carried out in the Trinquette workshop in Montpellier.
The bags were made by the sewing workshop of ESAT (Work Assistance Establishment and Service) of Hautes Garrigues in Saint Martin de Londres, north of Montpellier. The prototype brought by Romane had been reworked with Audrey, the workshop manager, to make the bag more solid.
The entire team of workers, Marie Christine, Mélanie, Ferrugia, Céline, Jordan, worked on making the bag. Great teamwork!
THE THEME OF THE PLANT WOMAN AND THE CHOICE OF ILLUSTRATIONS
I love Lise's work so much that the choice was difficult: watercolor, drawings..
At first, I hesitated with a very poetic drawing, a woman's face in a blooming flower (in fact, I really want to get my first tattoo with this drawing). Indeed, it particularly resonated with my personal story as a woman who is blossoming 😊. But, after a quick survey of the creators of the Ateliées (the place where Trinquette's workshop is based), I left this first choice aside.
The choice then quickly fell on the illustration of a woman emerging from the water, and which evoked to me rebirth , the caress of water, the lightness of the body which floats. We enriched it with flowers, to give it even more poetry and joy.
This is what gave birth to the “plant woman” model.
Lise also often illustrates parts of the body: hands, the heart, often come up in her drawings, and I liked this idea of the hand closely linked to the plant. The hand that plants, that waters, and the plant that wraps itself around the fingers. This is how the “plant hand” model was created.
SCREEN PRINTING
Finally, it's time to print!
The choice of screen printing
I wanted to avoid the heat transfer technique, which would have given an impression of plastic, inconsistent with the fabric which has a very natural look through its weave and its color. And you understand, artisanal work has value for me 😊.
Nancy Guerrero is originally from Chile, and has traveled the world: London, Barcelona, Paris (from what I remember). Founder of the La Blenderie workshop in Sète, she practices engraving, illustration, ceramics, painting and design.
So screen printing: how does it work?
- First of all, the preparation of the screen or the stencil: it coats a support with a photosensitive emulsion (the black around the image, transparent on the image to be reproduced), which will make a stencil. This stencil, interposed between the ink and the support, will allow the image to be reproduced.
- It makes a screen by color
- One pass of ink for each color
- For the ink: it uses the water-based technique , water-based inks without solvents. Good for the environment, respectful of health and resistant to washing!
I loved seeing her mix colors, just by eye, to perfectly reproduce the color on the screen. She also took into account the color of the support which was not white, but beige/gray.
THE RESULT: TADAAAAAMMMM !
This “vegetable woman” tote bag will quickly become an essential . With its flat bottom which gives it more interior volume than a simple tote bag, you can slip in everything you need during the day: a laptop sleeve, your yoga gear, a water bottle, a book, etc.
The interior pocket is practical for storing keys and your cell phone. It can be worn on the shoulder or across the body. The strap is adjustable, and wide enough for comfortable wearing.
I use it every day, super practical when riding a bike! And, with the 2 pretty exclusive illustrations, in limited edition, you are sure not to find it everywhere!
You can find it here: The Trinquette X Lise Desportes tote bag
✨ There you go, I hope you had as much fun reading this article as I had doing this collaborative project. Do you like this “behind the scenes” format? Don't hesitate to leave me a little comment or find me on Trinquette's Instagram account 🥰.
Caroline 🧡