Rencontre(S) : Circular fashion residence
Fashion residency - Live textile upcycling workshop by the Rencontre(S) collective
The Rencontre(S) collective has been chosen by Les Abattoirs, Musée - Frac Occitanie Toulouse and Toulouse musician Oli to take part in the cultural programming for his exhibition ‘Le Musée imaginaire d'Oli’. From 5 to 16 March, a dozen young talents will be creating a collection of upcycled silhouettes live and in full view of the public, in the heart of the Salle Picasso at Les Abattoirs. The collection will then be presented in the form of a fashion show/performance on Thursday 27 March at 6.30pm, during a nocturne at the Abattoirs.
Fashion has made a comeback at Les Abattoirs, Musée - Frac Occitanie Toulouse on several occasions in recent years: during the exhibition ‘The 1980s and 1990s: l'art en liberté’ exhibition, with some emblematic outfits by the artist Niki de Saint Phalle, then with the “Dance Textuelle” performance by Vava Dudu, and more recently, as part of a collaboration with Casa93Mirail in which young designers have combined their talents to offer unique textile creations, combining their worlds and their practice with reflections on the links between art and agriculture presented in the ’Artistes et paysans. Beating the countryside’ exhibition.
This link between art and fashion continues today with the Rencontre(s) collective. The Rencontre(s) project is part of a drive to offer new experiences around art, and to broaden the perspective on creative work by crossing disciplines, while at the same time showcasing the players and expertise on the regional scene. A unique experience is being offered in the form of a live workshop bringing together 10 young people, mostly from priority neighbourhoods, to create a series of upcycled pieces, under the artistic direction of Naco Paris. The fashion residency will take place in the Salle Picasso at Les Abattoirs, at the heart of the ‘Le Musée imaginaire d'Oli’ exhibition, from 5 to 16 March, and will be followed by a performance fashion show on Thursday 27 March 2025.
Details:
RENCONTRE(S), FOR A COMMITTED VISION OF FASHION IN OCCITANIA
At the start of this year, a new collective was created in the Occitanie region. Called Rencontre(S), its project combines fashion, design, ecological transition and professional integration, with a priority focus on young people in urban neighbourhoods. The co-founders want to support local players in the fashion and textile industries, and help young talented people into the world of work by mobilising them around art and textile design.
The genesis of the Rencontre(S) consortium is linked to Casa93Mirail. Inaugurated in September 2022, this Toulouse branch of the Casa93 school offered free vocational training in design and ethical fashion for young creative people, most of whom came from the inner-city areas of Toulouse and the Occitanie region.
At the end of 2024, following the closure of Casa93Mirail, Anne Péchoux, its former general coordinator, and Naco Paris, a world-renowned multidisciplinary artist and former artistic director of the school, decided to pool their skills, driven by the desire to ensure the continuity of the initiatives undertaken locally in the fields of fashion, textile design and textile industries. ‘We also wanted to keep alive the encounters we'd built up over the last two years with local authorities and local players, hence the name of our consortium, Rencontre(S),’ Anne Péchoux points out. The duo is joined in this project by La Compagnie Jeux de Mômes and Anna Cavailles.
Rencontre(S) defines itself as a collective of committed players whose objective is to imagine and propose actions and collaborations with public and private partners wishing to get involved and support projects linked to youth, inclusion, fashion and textiles, upcycling, creation and art, the ecological transition and integration. The common thread running through these projects is the desire to bring together young talent (including Casa93mirail alumni), mainly from priority neighbourhoods, and more generally, young creative people aged between 18 and 30 with atypical and talented profiles detected in the area.
Rencontre(S) is supported by the Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles Occitanie (DRAC).
The young artists selected for this project are :
Norma Alcalde, Lily Trenque, Lise Hubert, Dimitri Janvier, Hélios Delarminat, Sofia Benyoucef, Nadjlat Mfoihaya, Paloma Lejeune, Matheis Chopin, Thaïs Debeillex, Camille Guiraud and Kayliah.
The Rencontre(S) consortium has 4 members, who interact with each other to support the projects: NP Studio (Naco Paris), Anaïda (Anne Péchoux), La Compagnie Jeux de Mômes (Catherine Péchoux) and Anna Cavailles.
La Compagnie Jeux de Mômes
This association was co-founded in 1996 by Catherine Péchoux, now the company's director. The company has its roots in Toulouse's ‘BaFaPaTaBor’ neighbourhoods (Bagatelle, La Faourette, Papus, Tabar, Bordelongue). For almost 30 years, it has been working with the city's social, cultural and artistic players to set up theatrical expression activities for all audiences.
Anna Cavailles
Anna Cavailles is a creative communicator with a solid background in digital communications. She is the former head of communications for Casa93Mirail and Com'Des Vins.
Naco Paris - Artistic director
Living and working between Toulouse and Paris, Naco is a French multidisciplinary artist, fashion designer, textile designer, performer and activist. His brand NACO PARIS, created in 2001, is now recognised worldwide, and his unisex collections, inspired by his personal universe, contemporary art, the underground scene and counter-culture, are distributed in selective boutiques.
Her commitment to fighting excessive consumption in the textile and luxury goods industries is at the heart of her work, illustrated in particular by her use of recycling and upcycling. His ‘ART IS RESISTANCE by Naco Paris’ line combines art, fashion and activism, with pieces featuring hand-painted slogans sold in art galleries and luxury boutiques.
Naco took part in the launch of Casa93Mirail, where he led workshops and supervised the artistic direction of a collection and a fashion show.
Anne Péchoux - Coordinator
With an eclectic and atypical background, Anne Péchoux spent 15 years working in the social economy in South America, in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. A former General Co-ordinator of Casa93Mirail, she helped set up the project in the region and supported its two graduating classes. She is now involved in the Rencontre(S) collective as general project coordinator.
