For this episode, artist and designer Lou de Bètoly invited us to her studio in Berlin-Neukölln, where we spoke about her work, the appreciation of craftsmanship and blending the boundaries of art and fashion.
Entering the artist’s studio space, one is immediately drawn right into the Lou de Bètoly universe - a beaded chair in the corner, clothing racks with colourful crochet pieces, rhinestones, glass beads, an old weaving machine right in front of the window. “I actually found this weaving machine on eBay for free. I can’t wait to try it out.”
Lou’s desire to experiment and create started from a young age and is deeply rooted in her work both as a designer and artist. Led by the material itself, she follows an intuitive approach, up-cycling and re-using materials like cashmere, wool and lace with often embroidered, beaded and crocheted details. Her imagination goes hand-in-hand with her dedication to craftsmanship, creating wearable pieces that blend the boarders between art and fashion.
“My work is a very personal statement. It’s going against fast production and mass consumption and is rather digging into the beauty of time and craftsmanship. It’s working on the limit of what fashion stands for; I think we (as a society) got a bit lost with this.”
When talking to Lou, you can feel the passion she has for keeping craftsmanship alive while at the same time exploring her own artistic desires. After graduating in Fashion Design and Pattern Drafting at Esmod in Paris, she carried on working for Jean Paul Gaultier, where couture became the centre of her attention. The fascination with the making of garments, the skills needed to produce a piece of clothing by hand and the quest for keeping this tradition alive is what Lou carries on in her work both as an artist and designer. Her couture-like pieces are mostly handmade in Berlin, gaining more international recognition with fans like Dua Lipa or the artist Duo Eva and Adele. However, Lou de Bètoly pursues a slower approach and is not interested in large-scale productions.
“At some point you have to ask yourself: what do we need, how much do we wanna produce and where is the limit between production and creative expression. What do I stand for as an artist? I think in the end, it’s all about balance. The world needs art but people also have to become more aware with how they consume.’’
With sustainability on her mind, Lou de Bètoly plays an integral part in Berlin’s creative community, reminding the industry what fashion really is about: dedication, appreciation, creativity, craftsmanship - and a lot of fun.
