Maison Metisse introduces an ancient art with its Beginner's Shibori Workshop with Earth Dyes
Getting ourselves busy at home has been essential to many in keeping their mental state at a good level during the pandemic. It not only deviates thoughts and energy from the craziness happening in the world, it also lets people's creativity widen, from activities like cooking food in the kitchen, crocheting, and caring for plants to crafting homewares and art. It’s like rekindling with the child within you. Apart from the abovementioned, tie-dye also proposes a fun and therapeutic way to spend time indoors. And if you’re thinking of playing with hues and fabrics, this at-home textile dyeing workshop is definitely a must-try.
Homegrown brand Maison Metisse introduces a different kind of textile dyeing process with its Beginner's Shibori Workshop with Earth Dyes. Led by fashion designer Adrienne Charuel, Maison Métisse, hailed from the French word meaning “a woman of mixed ancestry,” is dedicated to showcasing honest and ethical fashion, mixing traditions with modern lifestyle.
“We really care about heritage at Maison Métisse. It’s important for me as a Filipina to celebrate our cultural heritage and show the beautiful creativity that we can make in collaboration with our local communities and indigenous tribes. I also want to show how we can have a contemporary interpretation of native beauty while respecting the time-old traditions of the Filipino people. We do this by taking inspiration from world heritage such as Japan and Mexico and combining it with Filipino craftsmanship,” Adrienne tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “Our items feature a lot of hand artistry, from hand dyeing and hand painting to hand embroidery. From an idea to and the capacity to realize it with utmost care and attention takes time. It’s a process that is sacred to me, to our team, and communities – it’s respecting time, old traditions, and heritage while we create a different expression of it.“
The brand continues its mission of bringing sustainable fashion and attitude to Filipinos home with its virtual dyeing workshop. In the process, one gets to see how the brand’s products come to life and appreciate the art that goes into it.
“This is an online course which you can access at your convenience so you can take your time and learn at your own pace,” she says. “With each kit, you can create two unique textiles which you can transform into a wall decor or scarf. It’s fun and easy plus kid-friendly too.”
Learn an ancient art
Apart from putting tints and hues to fabric, Adrienne’s 90-minute workshop also includes a few history lessons, the first of which is the difference between Shibori from the tie-dyeing process we know now. With the process almost the same, it is pretty normal to think that the two are similar but they’re not. Shibori is a Japanese craft that started in the Edo Period, from the 17th to 19th century. According to Adrienne, this art of textile and clothing was born out of necessity.
“At that time, the lower class were forbidden to wear silk,” she says. “So they were making all these beautiful clothing for the upper class and they couldn't wear it. So they had to find an alternative, which was cotton.” Much like other clothing at the time, dyes were needed to be produced to put color on the cotton fabric. “It's interesting that it was their way of life. It was their way of making clothes during that time,” she continues.
The meaning of its name, “to wring, squeeze or press,” defines the whole process of the centuries-old craft. The earliest Shibori textiles that have been discovered can lead back to the eighth century, as per Adrienne. This makes it the ancestor of the tie-dye we know today, which boomed in the 1960s.
Unique prints
There are a lot of techniques on how Shibori dyeing can be done. These involve folding, clamping, binding, and pleating with materials that are included in the brand’s workshop kit (more of that later). Among the techniques Adrienne teaches is the Itajime (triangle and square pleats) where the fabric is folded and clamped between two objects. Kanoko technique has a more painterly approach. It involves pinching, folding, binding, and scrunching of the fabric to produce cloud-like images and interesting stripes. More organic is the Ne-maki technique which involves beads and marbles to produce circular patterns on the fabric. Last is the Honeycomb, which is a jump from the more traditional techniques mentioned above.
Sustainability at its core
Producing ethical fashion through earth-friendly processes has been one of the main ethe of the brand, and it is echoed in its virtual workshop from its materials to the activities involved.
Inside the kit are most of the components you need for the workshop. While Shibori was traditionally done with indigo color, for the workshop, participants will be producing prints using two Earth Dyes (pink and orange). These colors are sourced from Japan and are made with natural and sustainable materials mined from the soil. For the canvas, there are two pieces of cotton fabric that are large enough for one to explore the many Shibori patterns and techniques. To do those, rubber bands, cable ties, marbles, plastic tape, chopsticks, and a pair of plastic gloves are provided, all are also reusable. To hype up its green mission, the materials are neatly packed in a handwoven native box.
One key element of the workshop is Adrienne’s lecture on how to reuse the dyes and other materials for future projects and her tips on how to make your journey to Shibori magic as zero waste as possible.
Product is always unique
To say that it is therapeutic is an understatement. There is a sense of peace in folding, clamping the fabric, and working with the materials. Watching the colors swirl in the water is so joyous and satisfying. Dipping your hands into it as you massage the liquid to the fabric is a meditative experience fit for a golden afternoon of the weekend.
Of course, nothing beats the excitement of unraveling the textile to see how well you did in the early stage of the process. And much like other handicrafts, the beauty of this art doesn’t really rely on how well you followed the steps. The beauty lies in its difference. Accidents can produce unique marks and lines while mixing hues can produce a special neutral tone. From its sustainability lesson to learning about a historical way of coloring clothes, this Shibori textile dyeing can make you feel closer and one with nature even if it doesn’t involve a step to the outdoors.
Want to learn Shibori? Visit www.maison-metisse.com to start your journey.