Born into a family of weavers, Henri Matisse spent his childhood surrounded by fabrics of varied shapes and colours. He retained a lifelong passion for textiles, bringing them back from his travels and collecting them from friends and antique dealers to hang on the walls of his studio and dress his models. He also kept a keen eye on the fashion of the time. These countless textiles, with their shimmering colours and graphic patterns, feature prominently in the artist’s works.

Maison Matisse is committed to sharing this heritage by producing throws and scarves inspired by the artist’s works and his appreciation for the beauty of fabric.

Made on Jacquard looms, whose weaving technique allows for a two-tone, double-sided finish, the throws Contrepoint and Variation, inspired by La Musique, are woven from wool and cotton. The throw Composition, created by Faye Toogood for the Esquisse collection, is made from wool and mohair.

Invented in 1804 by Joseph Marie Jacquard, this revolutionary loom enables the creation of complex patterns by individually controlling each warp thread using punch cards. This innovation automates a traditional craft, offering unprecedented creative freedom to weave detailed designs directly into the fabric’s structure.

The principle is based on an ingenious mechanism: the warp threads are raised according to the perforations on the cards, allowing the shuttle carrying the weft thread to pass through. Unlike traditional looms, the Jacquard loom enables highly complex patterns to be permanently woven into the fabric.

Today, modern Jacquard looms use electronic controls but retain the same principle of precision. They produce luxurious fabrics, combining innovation with traditional craftsmanship.