Anaïs Lefèvre is a leatherist turned towards eco-responsibility. Using leather falls, it gives life to unique bags and leather and silver jewelry. It manufactures these objects by hand in small series or in unique pieces. With its past in the restoration of works of art, this leatherhoder, using recovered and revalued materials, conciliates artisanal know-how and respect for the environment.
Being an executor would be very reductive. I need not to do the same repetitive tasks, although I do it when I do series, which is sometimes very relaxing. But I could not do the same thing all the time or do what I am asked to do, without having my share of creativity.
Anaïs Lefèvre, Maroquinière
“” It started with the nicknames of my children, Maloute and Zazouille, and I wanted to keep the story of these two nicknames. And so MZ Creation Take the initials of the nicknames, which are not the names of my children. »»
Born in the Yvelines, Île-de-France, Anaïs Lefèvre grew up in an artistic environment, with an architect and a grandfather painter. She turned to a literary baccalaureate option arts, then graphic design studies before joining the fine arts. After her diploma, she worked in the restoration of works of art, for museums, galleries and a large luxury house. Toute-outer, it develops a pointed know-how in leather, textile, wood catering. In 2011, his passion for leather led him to found his own brand, MZ Création, a brand of accessories to the ethical approach.
“” I worked in luxury before, and it made me want to reuse its falls, even before it is in tune with the times. But today, people are increasingly sensitive, but for me, it has always been very important. Leather is a polluting material in its transformation, I did not want to be a link in the manufacturing chain. I preferred to be in recovery and not in the command. This creates constraints because sometimes I will not find leather, color constraints, but which I finally like because it is with the constraint that I am forced to be more reactive and more creative. »»
The designer has been able to transform her artistic studies and her professional experience in a happy conversion in leather goods. “” For me, it made sense to return to creation. In restoration, there is a very limiting side, also very repetitive. The desire to create has returned. Having already worked in luxury, I realized this overconsumption and overproduction. So very quickly, I stood out by working with falls of luxury leather goods. I found it interesting to have to reinvent yourself all the time. I feel like I am in creation all the time, even if I created models and work on different formats. I make collections according to a model. But as I have to coordinate my leathers and my interior liners each time, I have the impression of being in creation all the time! The course I followed, my studies, today, in the assemblies of colors that I will do, I find the color lessons that I was doing, what I was able to learn in graphics, design, assemblies and after what I was able to learn from fine arts, also served me. I have the impression of having a more seated general culture than if I was content to be just a leather worker. I have the impression that it makes sense. »»
Anaïs Lefèvre uses materials from an association that recovers and values the scraps or falls from luxury leather goods to support a sustainable approach. “” I work with a group called the Arts Reserve, it is an association that collects the falls of lots of different companies and especially in leather. I have been working with them for a very long time since I even worked at home as a “valorist“”I was going to collect. I also worked with megisses, these are places that recover themselves the ends of tannerie series which have not been sold and which therefore have a great diversity of skins. It is complicated to make a supplier address book, so it required a little time, because I attach a lot of importance to have leather from France or Italy. »»
Inspired by nature, geometric shapes and colorsAnaïs Lefèvre rejects ephemeral trends in her creations. “” I try not to inspire trends at all because it doesn’t interest me. There are lots of people who make handbags, I don’t want to do the same as the others, so I try to be very timeless and be just guided by my desires and what I like. It will be the colors that I like of the moment, many nature and geometric forms, which were already very present in my creations as an artist in Fine Arts, I had a vegetable side and geometry. »»
For the sake of respect for materials and beyond its creations, La Maroquinière offers restorations/repairs. “” I use what I did before, so I also repair a lot. I like it very much because it makes sense to me. Restoring, repairing, I find it interesting because people have pieces that they hold a lot and I will give them a second life. In the society in which we live, I like it to be in there. I repair a lot, I restore, it requires completely different intellectual gymnastics compared to creation, it stimulates me! When I make manufacturing, I optimize my raw material as much as possible. I will use the slightest fall to make a jewel, a belt, an accessory. I do training, people come to make their own bag, but also vocational training where people come to train at home. These three main lines please me and make me accomplish. Perhaps one day, there is one of the three that will take precedence over the rest. »»
Today, Anaïs Lefèvre aspires to transmit her passion and his eco-responsible approach in leather goods Through workshops to raise awareness and inspire the next generation of craftsmen. “” I would really like to be able to do interventions in schools with students. I already do interventions with young audiences to raise awareness of crafts with leisure centers or primary schools. I find that it is very important to show children that these professions still exist! But I would really like to work with students. I received a student from Fine Arts who came for two months to the workshop, I find that it is interesting for them to see that there are no limits and show them that these professions exist. I would like to do group workshops in schools, over a week, work on projects with students. I would like to succeed in developing this concept. I take trainees every year, I do a lot of craft fairs as an art artisan. Sometimes I have trainees too because I answer on social networks on leatherholes and I answer by saying that I take trainees. It has always brought me. »»
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