Created on historic Jacquard looms, these carpets translate the textures, layered compositions and irregular contours of her paper creations into a dense, luminous material.
Their production involves a succession of highly precise steps, from the interpretation of the design by the Pierre Frey studio to its gradual emergence on the loom.
Everything begins in the Pierre Frey studio, with a careful study of the original artwork.
For SOLIFLORE and MACAO, every line, every shade and every irregularity is analysed to preserve the spontaneity of Isabelle de Borchgrave’s gesture and the distinctive relief effects of her paper work.
The design is then translated into a technical chart — a blueprint that can be read by the Jacquard loom. Like a musical score, this chart guides the process row by row, indicating the precise movements required to bring the motif to life in velvet.
The most complex compositions may require a five-grid construction, allowing the full richness and precision of the design imagined by the Maison to be faithfully recreated.
Colour holds a central place in the Pierre Frey universe. For each creation, shades are selected with the utmost precision to preserve the intensity, contrasts and subtle nuances of the original artwork.
Some designs incorporate up to twelve colours. Their balance is determined even before weaving begins, ensuring that each shade finds its rightful place within the composition.
The yarns are then wound onto bobbins and arranged on the loom according to the technical chart. This stage, known as warping, can require up to 1,240 bobbins for the most intricate patterns.
A meticulous process that is essential to faithfully recreating the palette envisioned by the studio.
Once the loom has been set up, the weaving process can begin.
Row after row, the Jacquard loom carries out the instructions defined during the technical charting process. The threads intertwine, colours meet, and the design gradually emerges on the surface of the velvet.
Under the constant supervision of skilled artisans, this mechanism inherited from the 19th century becomes a tool in service of creation. The pattern gains depth, the contours become more defined, and the original design is transformed into a true textile material.
It is through this dialogue between the vision of the Pierre Frey studio, the precision of the loom and the artisan’s trained eye that the unique character of Wilton comes to life.
Made of 80% carded wool and 20% polyamide, Wilton combines aesthetic richness with exceptional durability. Spun wool gives the velvet its density, luminosity and the remarkable depth of colour so highly valued by Pierre Frey. Polyamide, meanwhile, enhances its strength and long-lasting performance.
Woven in strips approximately 70 centimetres wide, then manually assembled during installation, this carpet can be used to dress both residential interiors and spaces subject to moderate foot traffic, as well as staircases. To create SOLIFLORE and MACAO, Pierre Frey partnered with the last French manufacturer still mastering the art of Wilton weaving. This collaboration reflects a belief deeply rooted in the Maison’s identity: preserving historic craftsmanship by bringing it into dialogue with contemporary creation.
