Silk, Lace & Pigments - A week of dyeing and haute couture
Duration: August 17 to 22 –
In August 2026, treat yourself to a week-long creative interlude in a farmhouse in the heart of the Cévennes, surrounded by nature, precious materials and workshop techniques. This unique workshop brings together two interrelated worlds: vegetable dyeing and haute couture. (Maj 07032026)
Registration fees:
Beginner level 850 euros
Advanced level 950 euros
Location:
St Ambroix, Gard, France.
THE METHOD
Throughout the week, you’ll create an exceptional lace and silk crepe negligee, designed as an intimate, delicate and perfectly finished piece.
At the same time, you’ll be introduced to living color: understanding fibers, preparing baths, mordanting, shading, layering…
You’ll experiment with different dye sources (e.g. reseda, fresh fig leaves, cochineal (insect), avocado pits, etc.) to achieve a subtle, deep and above all personal palette.
THE TEACHERS
Dorothee Catry
The course is run by Dorothée Catry https://www.dorotheelafait.com/
and La Maison de Couture (a school and house specialized in teaching the haute couture professions) in Brussels.(lamaisondecouture.be)
FABIENNE THOMAS
Fabienne Thomas is academic manager and head teacher at La Maison de Couture (school and house specialized in teaching the haute couture professions) in Brussels. lamaisondecouture.be
Levels
In terms of levels, the course is designed to welcome motivated beginners, amateurs and advanced participants alike. Depending on your experience and sewing skills, several projects (and finishing variations) can be proposed, so that everyone can progress at their own pace, while aiming for the same spirit: a refined, well-crafted couture piece. Beginners will be guided step by step through accessible and structuring stages (material handling, clean assembly, essential finishing touches), while more advanced levels will be able to go deeper into adjustments, precision of detail, and more technical finishing touches, always with a delicate and demanding aesthetic in mind.
FREE ACCOMMODATION
COURSE CONTENT & PROGRAM
To ensure maximum flexibility for each participant, accommodation is free. Numerous guest houses are located around Mas Costelle, and we can recommend accommodation in the surrounding area, such as Les Volets Rouges, Les Muriers, Mas La Goutte, Mas les Dolmens, Domaine de Peyre Brune, Mas de Florette, etc.
Participants can also choose to have lunch and/or dinner at the course venue (optional and with prior notice).
The price of the meal is 25 euros.
The rhythm is designed to alternate practice, concentration and enjoyment:
Every morning, from 9am to 12pm, you’ll learn all about vegetable dyeing (fiber preparation, mordanting, baths, shading, sample testing and color chart creation).
Colors are created by mastering the extraction of dyes from plants such as reseda, fig leaf, cochineal (insect ), avocado pits, etc., to explore a lively, subtle palette.
Every afternoon from 5pm to 8pm, you’ll be guided through the sewing process to create an exceptional lace and silk crepe negligee: cutting, assembly, adjustments, meticulous finishing and gestures inspired by the demands of high-end couture.
the Cevennes
The Cévennes offer a rare setting, both wild and soothing: a mosaic of valleys, chestnut groves, cool rivers and luminous ridges where you can breathe differently. A land of stones and terraces, of small villages with character and living know-how, the region seduces with its unspoilt nature, its markets, its trails, and the changing light that immediately inspires creative gestures. Between river bathing, sunset strolls, starry skies and balmy summer evenings, it’s an ideal place to slow down, reconnect with materials… and let colors and unique pieces emerge, in harmony with the environment.