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The history of Provencal fabrics is long, rich and turbulent.

By Corinne Russo - Photos José Nicolas - July 12, 2011

The first printed materials shipped from India to Marseille in 1564 were quite naturally called ‘Indiennes’. Very quickly, these colored cotton fabrics seduced all classes of the population, and the demand was such that in the middle of the 17th century, they started being produced in Provence. These printed fabrics competed seriously with the other French textile industries of linen, silk and wool, and in 1686 were banned.

The law forbid not just the production, but also the trade and even the use of these ‘Indiennes’. The manufacturers then decided to move to the nearby Comtat Venaissin, an area around the city of Avignon which as a Papal enclave was not subject to this ruling. The ban lasted 73 years during which a serious contraband trade developed. In 1734, a concordat was nevertheless signed between the Pope and Louis XV,

submitting the Comtat Venaissin to the same law. The factories then also closed in Avignon.

It was not until the 19th century that this type of factory would reappear. Today, these printed fabrics are still produced, and based on the original patterns; the detail of an old design becomes the principal motif of a new print. A little pomegranate appearing formerly in a traditional Provencal garden pattern, made up of a myriad of little motifs,

suddenly becomes the principal subject for an upholstery fabric… with a resolutely contemporary feel, and in trendy colors.

The company Les Olivades, located not far from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, in the village Saint-Etienne du Grès, has been printing fabric since 1818; it continues to create fabrics for the home and for garments and is the only company that still prints its designs in Provence.

Book

« Couleurs & Etoffes, une passion provençale » - Colors and fabrics, a provencal passion.
By Claude Fauque, éditions Aubanel.

You can visit the company by appointment, or buy pretty pieces at factory prices in the store throughout the year: decorative objects for the home, tablecloths and napkins, accessories, clothes…

A visit to the factory will demonstrate all the labor and talent necessary for the production of these creations, which are endlessly reinvented and which depend on a long craft tradition and expertise. Your visit will teach you the meaning of the words ‘buckling’, ‘bleaching’, ‘mercerization’, ‘flatbed printing technique’, ‘steaming’…

And that’s only the beginning! You’ll witness the passion of a family, who since 1948, the date when Pierre Boudin set up the company Société Avignonnaise d’Impression sur Tissus, endlessly innovates and develops the business so that the textile industry may continue in Provence.

Les Olivades
Chemin des Indienneurs 13103 Saint-Etienne du GreS
Tél : 04 90 49 19 19
www.lesolivades.fr 

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