Repurposed Couture Embroidery with Justine Bonenfant - 18th May 2025

Available
SKU
RCEJB18052025
£110.00
Explore the art of creative repurposing with couture embroidery designer, maker, and teacher Justine Bonenfant in this unique one-day workshop at The Sewing Room in Midhurst.
 
Justine will guide you in transforming waste materials into delicate couture hand embroidery.
 
Running from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (with a one-hour break), this workshop invites you to repurpose discarded items such as hardware, old necklaces, and packaging, combining them with luxurious elements like glass beads and crystals to create stunning, one-of-a-kind embroidery pieces.
 
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced embroiderer, you’ll leave with a beautiful creation and new skills to apply to future projects.
 
All materials are provided, including a batch of repurposed items and luxury embellishments.
 
Frames and scissors will be available for use during the workshop. Feel free to bring a special item you’d like to incorporate into your design!

Justine Bonenfant is a French Lesage-trained embroidery designer, maker, and teacher specializing in Haute Couture embellishment and tambour beading.

After graduating in fashion design from ESMOD in 2010, she honed her skills in hand-embroidery at the prestigious Lesage School (Chanel Group) in Paris. A Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust alumna, she was awarded by HRH the Prince of Wales to complete an apprenticeship in Goldwork and Monogramming at Hand and Lock, London’s renowned embroidery atelier established in 1767.

Justine’s expertise blends French Luneville and British needle techniques, making her a sought-after artisan in the fashion world. Having lived and worked in Paris, Marrakech, London, and Chennai—cities rich in artisanal heritage—Justine has collaborated with luxury fashion houses such as Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, and Alexander McQueen. Her work has adorned celebrities like Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, and Angelina Jolie. She also contributes to theatre projects, including Disney’s musicals.

Justine is a guest lecturer at the Royal School of Needlework and was a tutor at Hand and Lock for eight years. She is now part of the teaching team for The King’s Foundation and Chanel Métiers d’Art Fellowship in partnership with Le 19M, where she shares her expertise with the next generation of artisans. She has also taught international classes in the US, Australia, and Indonesia. She is the founder of Clo de Vila, an accessory label celebrated for its whimsical and intricately detailed hand-embroidered neckpieces and brooches, featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle. Inspired by poetry, nostalgia, and a quest for beauty, Justine’s work embodies a romantic aesthetic with a French “Je ne sais quoi”.

 

Venue: The Midhurst Sewing Room

Level: Beginner Friendly

Dates: Saturday 18th May 2025

Workshop Start/End time: 10am-4pm

Workshop Duration: 1 Day

Workshop Tutor: Justine Bonenfant, Founder and Designer, Clo de Vila

 

More Information
Workshop Start18 May 2025