Manifesto: a print that tells our story
Autumn/Winter 26/27 Collection - Les Mots Bleus
Some prints simply dress us. Others have a story to tell.
Each season, I create a unique world for Maison Fauve, where sewing patterns, fabrics, colours and prints come together to tell the same story. The print chosen to embody each collection is therefore never an afterthought: it is an integral part of that world.
For this new collection, I wanted to go a little further. I wanted to tell you something about who we are, and to translate the DNA of Maison Fauve into a print.
It was no easy task. My influences are many and varied: Art Deco, abstraction and figurative art, as well as works that are completely deconstructed. I’ve also always been fascinated by cabinets of curiosities - eclectic collections of seemingly disparate objects that somehow come together to create something beautiful and coherent.
Let me tell you how Manifesto came to life, and everything it represents for Maison Fauve.
A print that tells the Maison Fauve story
Les Mots Bleus is a song by Christophe about love and the way words sometimes fail to capture all its complexity and intensity. It speaks of feelings that exist beyond words.
That is exactly the idea behind Manifesto: exploring what lies at the heart of Maison Fauve and telling our story without relying on words.
I kept coming back to the idea of the cabinet of curiosities. I had already explored this style of illustration, reminiscent of antique engravings, in the Fauvae Botanica collection and in one of our very first prints, but this time I wanted to take the idea further.
Because visual harmony is essential when creating a print, I began thinking about the type of fabric design that would allow me to tell a story in this way. The answer quickly became obvious: Toile de Jouy.
These iconic monochrome fabrics owe their distinctive appearance to their traditional printing techniques - first using engraved copper plates and later copper rollers - which made incredibly fine, detailed illustrations possible. There is something about Toile de Jouy that feels almost like an engraving transferred directly onto fabric, making it perfectly suited to the linework I had in mind.
Its motifs are also arranged as little narrative scenes, with space around them allowing each illustration to breathe.
And suddenly, everything fell into place: my cabinet of curiosities would become one of these vignettes, telling the story of Maison Fauve through a collection of symbolic elements..
A motif that becomes a Manifesto
The illustration itself carries the first message: intricate and precise, like an antique engraving, while the watercolour work enhances the colours, allowing them to stretch, deepen and come alive.
Throughout the design, you’ll find the visual language of Maison Fauve:
- The peacock, an animal often found in cabinets of curiosities and one that has a special place in our own story - it sits at the heart of the Maison Fauve logo.
- The tiger, the obvious choice of wild animal, echoing our animal-print collections and, of course, our name and its connection to Fauvism.
- The peonies, which I have tattooed on my arm and which become a central part of this imaginary garden.
- The swallows, which my husband has tattooed on his back - a more personal symbol of the love we share.
- The embroidery scissors, because sewing is at the very heart of who we are.
- The coral, almost like foliage, revisiting one of Maison Fauve’s earliest prints and bringing movement and energy to the design.
So why Manifesto? Because this print is our manifesto. It expresses who we are and what makes Maison Fauve unique. Maison Fauve turns 11 this year, and Manifesto feels like a natural celebration and affirmation of the world we have created over those years.
Four colours, four ways to make Manifesto your own
Manifesto comes in four colourways: Red, Green, Blue and Black/Ecru.
Four interpretations of the same design, each playing with the traditional colour palette of Toile de Jouy. Red gives the print intensity and confidence. Green evokes nature and its bucolic inspiration. Blue places it firmly within the world of Les Mots Bleus. And Black/Ecru plays with contrast, highlighting the graphic quality of the illustration.
Wear it head to toe or introduce it as an accent Manifesto is yours to interpret. One statement piece, a flash of print or an entire outfit: create your own Manifesto.
Two fabrics, two ways to wear Manifesto
For our Spring/Summer 26 Natural High collection, we introduced a new fabric to Maison Fauve: printed cotton gabardine. It was a real success and brought to life something I had wanted to explore for some time - using our prints for more structured pieces such as jackets and trousers. And, even better, it opened up the possibility of creating head-to-toe printed looks by pairing cotton gabardine with viscose poplin. The result is bold, full of character and unmistakably Maison Fauve.
Cotton gabardine: structure and character
With its twill weave and beautiful structure, cotton gabardine gives Manifesto a very distinctive presence. The colours are incredibly rich, allowing every detail of the illustration and its watercolour effect to really shine.
Manifesto cotton gabardine works beautifully with so many pieces from the Maison Fauve wardrobe: Synopsis Bermuda shorts to the Misfit Perfecto jacket, and Worn jeans, as well as the Mimosa and Manhattan blazers, the Pilar jacket, the Roman coat, and the Peacock shorts. In short, it is ideal for any pattern that calls for a medium-weight fabric with structure and a beautiful handle.
A print made for confident silhouettes, statement pieces and sewing projects designed to be noticed.
Discover Manifesto cotton gabardine
Viscose poplin: fluid and beautifully soft
Viscose poplin reveals a completely different side to Manifesto. Soft and fluid with a beautiful drape, it is also opaque, so there is no need to line your garment. It is perfect for lighter, more flowing pieces.
It works beautifully for the Missive blouse and its charming sleeves, as well as the Folio top. A shirt, like Scala or Skyline, become something really special in Manifesto, while dresses including Prose, Cuba Libre, and Rosalie take on an irresistible touch of retro charm.
Discover Manifesto viscose poplin
A new print with a place in the Maison Fauve story
Manifesto becomes the latest chapter in the story of Maison Fauve prints.
Like the designs that have come before it, it reflects our desire to create unique and recognisable prints that give handmade garments a real identity of their own.
It joins the Autumn/Winter 26/27 Les Mots Bleus collection with one very particular ambition: to stay.
Manifesto is a permanent print.
It isn’t here simply for one season or one collection launch. It has been created to accompany your sewing projects and creative ideas for years to come.
A print to discover today, return to tomorrow and make entirely your own.
See you very soon - and perhaps it’s time to start writing your own Manifesto!
