South Society refers to the branch that deals with haute couture embroidery. It looks at the south – South Europe, the Mediterranean basin – for inspiration, colours, styles, its distinctiveness, history, manufacture and own interpretation of elegance. South Society creates unique pieces of embroidered jewellery, accessories and appliqués, using Luneville and tambour techniques, lace from Lier and beading applied to silk organza.
The initial idea is to embellish comfortable luxury clothing for working women, clothes that can be worn from morning into the evening for afterhours professional events. By adding a luxurious accessory such as a scarf, a necklace or Jabot, or a collar, an elegant outfit can be transformed into an eye catching ensemble that suits the occasion.
- Comfortable locally resourced natural fabrics
- Straightforward elegant designs
- Colours and themes based on nature
- Decorative historical patterns including art historical references
- Luxurious embroidered details
Exhibitions:
Kant in Vlaanderen, Erfgoeddag 2021, Nacht … wacht, virtual exhibition, participation with Star Struck and Dream Sliver/Button, Begijnhofkerk, Diest, Belgium.
Samsara Cape
And up from the downed trunks of their beliefs will spring rich new underground.
Richard Powers in The Overstory
Representation of nature in embroidery lends itself to colorful flowers and exotic animals but the power of nature can be found in the undergrowth where new life springs from. The undergrowth contains a delicate, sophisticated and balanced ecosystem that is home to millions of species, often undiscovered. The idea of Samsara, or rebirth, came about through many associations such as the recycling of fur to give back soul to the animals that were sacrificed, the hope instilled in Anselm Kiefer’s scorched earth paintings, and the affection felt by van Gogh for the simple and overlooked. Nature is not composed of monochromes and all colours in the work have been built up through what I call pixel-beading or endlessly mixing beads of different materials, colours, sizes and shapes in vermicelli style. Sustainability is observed by supporting local businesses and prioritizing locally sourced fabrics such as silk, cotton, bamboo, and by creating appliqués for clothes that will last for a generation. (June 2022)
The secret world beneath our feet is mind-blowing – and the key to our planet’s future.
George Montbiot for The Guardian
Don’t dismiss soil: its unknowable wonders could ensure the survival of our species.
Museums increasingly posted collections online and their digital universes offer a wealth of resources. However, I could not pass beyond the flat pictures on the screen, avoid of physical closeness, surface details such as brushstroke, texture, and sensual impressions. My quest was to reconstruct the idea of tactility through pixel analysis. Taking as starting point a painting of Anselm Kiefer, known for his rich texture and use of unconventional media, I zoomed in on the structure of the small squares. Amazed at the infinite shades of colour, I translated the patterns into beads. They became my painting palette and I endlessly mixed beads of different colors, sizes, and materials building up volumes, like notes in a jazz improvisation. I applied glass, wooden and vintage beads, crystals, sequins, raffia and recycled fur to tambour embroidery. Samsara is rebirth. Kiefer paints scorched earth. Animals were sacrificed when fur was fashionable. The historical straightforward short cape as carrier wants to reanimate, symbolizing organic growth through crawling fur branches, antlers, roots. Earth, animals and pixels are brought alive into a new tableau. (June 2021)
If we and the rest of the backboned animals were to disappear overnight, the rest of the world would get on pretty well.
David Attenborough in Life in the Undergrowth
