Reimagining Tradition: Laura Casañas Maya’s Passementerie Series
Passementerie, a venerable and increasingly rare textile craft, is renowned for its array of decorative trimmings such as tassels, fringes, gimp, cords, and pom-poms. Historically, these elements have served as ornamental accents in interior design, enhancing the edges of sofas, the tie-backs of curtains, and various other furnishings. In the hands of contemporary artist and designer Laura Casañas Maya, however, passementerie is reborn and redefined, transcending its traditional role to become the centerpiece of her innovative Passementerie Series.
The Passementerie Series is a celebration and transformation of this decorative art. By recontextualizing passementerie from mere ornamental trimmings to integral, functional forms, Maya challenges and reimagines the established hierarchical structure of ornamentation within design. This innovative approach invites a new dialogue between decoration and utility, suggesting a symbiotic relationship where each informs and enhances the other.
In traditional usage, passementerie serves as an elegant accent, adding a touch of luxury and detail to a piece of furniture or interior space. Laura Casañas Maya’s series, however, shifts this dynamic by incorporating the unique textures, forms, and techniques of passementerie into the core structural design. This method not only elevates the craft but also integrates it into the fundamental narrative of each piece, creating a new hierarchy where ornament and design are inseparable.
Born in Cali, Colombia in 1993, Laura Casañas Maya graduated with a BFA in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017. Her artistic practice spans a multitude of mediums, including metal, wood, textiles, and ceramics. Yet it is her profound engagement with passementerie that distinguishes her current work, which masterfully channels the intricate craft’s visual idioms, materials, and techniques.
All images by Ivan Lanz, with courtesy of Laura Casañas Maya, shared with permission
- Website: https://lauracasanas.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/melinda_loopy
