5 Questions with French Artist/Designer Celeste Mogador

French artist and designer Céleste Mogador is best know for her incredible handmade embroidered jewelry. Celeste was born in the heart of Brittany and grew up surrounded by the rich Brenton culture. She was immersed in the ancient traditions of embroidered costumed and it became her dream to study embroidery with Pascal Jaouen at the Ecole de Broderie d’Art din Quimper.. When she started tinkering, she realized she wanted to get away from hackneyed, picture-book images of Brittany. She wanted to show something else. Her embroidery is a return to the roots of tradition, but with an edgy rock vibe. Through her embroidery journey she has established two brands: Céleste Mogador and Eté 36, which are upmarket lifestyle brands including luxe ready-to-wear, unique pieces of jewelry, accessories, stationary and cement tiles.

Choupette Social Girl: Where does your inspiration for embroidery & beading come from?

Celeste Mogador: I don’t really know. I think that since I am very speedy and anguished person, the fact of doing something meticulous that requires concentration and patience helps me channel my anxieties and thoughts. It is a necessity for me to embroider. Everything I create is on the pointillism trend: mosaic, drawing, etc. You do not choose to become an artist. It is a necessity.

CSG: How does Brittany’s influence play a role in your designs?
CM: It plays a role in the sense that a lot of people here try to make our region known by creating dreadful folk ugly things. People in Brittany were above all travelers and very curious. So, it is necessary to reconnect with that instead of remaining in the past. I want my embroideries to be rock’n’roll and open to the world and especially not regionalist.

CSG: What themes are consistent throughout your designs? What do these symbolize?

CM: Our current themes are the eyes and play cards but I create as I speak…as I dream. I do not think or mean to say anything specific. Pictures come to me; funny, poetic, or rock’n’roll. I just try to interpret them. Then, people find these jewels and images so they can reinterpret them as well. My embroideries are exquisite surreal corpses.

CSG: Is your work art or is it fashion?

CM: My work is ideas in images so I guess a bit of both. My hand-embroidered heels are more of art though.

CSG: What’s next for the brand?

CM: The dream would be to find a patron to help us and to make small collections and small series but having the opportunity and cash flow to be able to move forward and do more artistic research. Set up nice poetic projects that make people dream.

(Image Source: Design Sponge, Celeste Mogador, and The Visionary)

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