Sustainable production and as result conscious consumption is the core concept of Stefanie Savary, owner and creative director of “Stefanie Savary 12Robes”. This slow couture brand based in the South of France, marries art and high fashion by transferring on the made to order garments the vibrant paintings of female artists. Wearable art on the one hand and collaborative feminine project on the other
When I was growing up, my mother, who was a tailor, made all the clothes for my sister and me. She taught us early on to appreciate and take care of them. We developed an understanding of lasting quality and craftsmanship. From the age of twelve, I started sewing my clothes and later worked as a designer in the fashion industry. Designing new collections again and again, which lost their “worth ” after a short time in the clearance sale, seemed questionable to me. What are our genuine needs? What are our values? And how will we change our consumer behaviour, not only concerning ourselves but also in an environmentally conscious manner? We are not looking for an object – in this case, a dress. We are looking for fulfilment that comes from this dress. It is necessary to step out of hyper-consumption and seek quality instead of quantity. A high-quality and timeless dress is an investment for a long time. I pursue this goal with my label “Stefanie Savary 12Robes”. The creation of my dresses is a gentle continuous process – independent of trends, collections and seasons. Each piece is characterized by lasting quality and durability. All dresses are only made to orders, from high quality and natural materials, sustainably and individually. This process is carried out in a labelled limited edition of 12 dresses per design independent of any time frame.
„ART&COUTURE“ is based on the idea of converting unique artwork into exclusive dresses. I wanted to translate the feelings that arise from looking at a beautiful and touching painting into a wearable experience.
What is wearable art? It’s more than a dress. We feel the art on our skin and blur the boundaries of the art experience.
„ART&COUTURE“ dresses carry the artist’s message and have an energy of their own. The image on the dress comes alive and lives its story on flowing fabric that gently envelops and accompanies the wearer. The visual medium is the woman and the dress – expanding the frame of reference and adding to the appreciation of the entire artwork
Expressive colours are the unifying aspect of all the images. They are a testimony to the emotion and joy of life, inspired by the magical Mediterranean light. Colours influence both their wearer and their entire environment. They are a source of energy.
This project is not only about the creation of wearable art dresses, but also about the collaborative feminine project in which each of us participates, helping to create a wonderful whole.
Lesego Seoketsa is a young artist from Johannesburg. I had the pleasure of meeting her during her stay on the Côte d’Azur and attending her very touching presentation as part of our 3rd „Salon des femmes“ in Nice. Lesogo was invited by „Undiscovered Canvas“ as part of a program to support African artists. We were all under the spell of her interesting and enriching stories and felt gifted by her presence.
Lesogo emanates a strong charisma. This is reflected in her expressive and powerful artworks containing vibrant colours. During her stay, wonderful works full of energy have been created. Her paintings reflect her impressions and tell a powerful story.
Now I have the great pleasure of transforming some of them into dresses. I am very much looking forward to it and am grateful for this enriching encounter.
What we wear influences who we are. The dress is the first message we send to our environment about our self-expression and authenticity. Dresses are a shield of strength. Depending on the situation we want to face we choose the appropriate dress. The right dress supports us. We feel beautiful, feminine, glamorous, sexy, invincible, and confident. This dress helps us express who we are. It touches us at our core and makes us radiate in our essence. Colours contribute to empowering the body. They are much more than just a hue that our eye perceives. As energy carriers, they influence us and our surroundings. A dress is like our second skin. The sensation and awareness of wearing an exclusive handmade dress are very empowering. It is a sign of our self-worth. This strengthening feeling is immediately noticeable when we experience the precious material on our skin. Our charisma and behaviour change as soon as we put the dress on. I have experienced this so many times. It is fascinating. As for the art dresses, unlike other dresses, they are additionally carriers of an artistic message. ART&COUTURE dresses carry the artist’s message and have an energy all of their own. The image on the dress comes alive and lives its own story on flowing fabric that gently envelops and accompanies the wearer. They are a testimony of emotions and joy of life, inspired by the magical Mediterranean light. I see the dress as a celebration of the senses. It touches the soul and values the essence of the wearer in her whole being.
Every dress is individually handmade in a labeled limited-edition series. Only 12 dresses of the same design will ever be produced in my atelier at the French Riviera. Each dress receives a numbered label: ROBE N° 1/12 – ROBE N° 12/12. I believe in refined and beautiful craftsmanship. In order to last, every dress is created with great attention to detail and is characterized by lasting quality.These are couture dresses, which means I’m using traditional artisan techniques as well as the sewing of many details with hand stitches. All my dresses are crafted from exquisite materials. They are produced in traditional manufactories in France, Italy, or Switzerland with qualified know-how and in an environmentally conscious manner. When selecting beautiful fabrics, I take care about choosing them from companies that lead sustainable production. This procedure includes PFC- free finishes and table printing instead of inkjet printing. It needs much less energy and water and the saving on chemicals is almost 50%. With great respect for the artisans who designed, wove, and printed these magnificent and natural materials, each dress is handmade with great attention to detail. Most designs are lined with silk or delivered with a separate undergarment that gives you a sensitive and luxurious feeling. We should care about how we feel and experience the pleasure of wearing an individually handmade dress.
Each „ART&COUTURE“ dress is made to order. The pattern for the fabric print is coordinated only for this one dress. The artwork determines the shape of the respective dress. At the same time, the production in a different size must also be taken into account in the conception of the fabric plan, as well as the length of the dress. A great deal of care and consideration has to be given to the preservation of the overall work of art in order to avoid producing flawed or unusable fabric prints. That means that the fabric for each dress is also printed individually. Great care is taken to ensure that there is no fabric waste. The material use is as high as possible – usually 90-95%. With digital printing, it is possible to achieve a very high- quality result on such a limited length of fabric.
Environmental awareness, quality, and durability are central to my work. That is why I work locally, produce what is necessary, and do not overstock. This also applies to the entire process of discovering and finding my fabrics inclusive the materials for my dresses, labels, and packaging. I am very vigilant and committed to choosing only from local companies that also work with a sustainable work ethic. All my dresses are mostly made to order in my atelier on the Côte d’Azur. Due to a limited edition of 12 dresses per design, the production is not outsourced. The dresses are directly adapted and crafted according to the client’s wishes. Special requests, such as length, are taken into account. Each dress is a handmade couture dress. That is possible through a unique business model that combines online distribution with private presentations and communication via social media. D2C – direct to Consumer – works without a costly bricks-and mortar-presence or traditional advertising and makes it profitable even if everything is produced in a limited edition.
I would say that luxury today refers to a lifestyle. I want to be deeply touched by everything I do, by the things I surround myself with, and by the people in my life – to share a story, values and consciousness. My definition of luxury is to do what I really care for and what matters to me.
In material terms, it is the desire to own something of high quality and durability. The awareness of quality instead of quantity and timelessness is essential. Responsibility towards myself and our planet is a fundamental attitude towards life. Luxury must not conflict with nature or human dignity.
