Justine Bonenfant

2015 QEST Broderers' Company Apprentice - Embroidery

Justine is a London-based embellishment designer and embroidery artisan. Through her work, she likes to experiment with timeless techniques such as luneville, goldwork and silkshading, which she then translates into contemporary designs. Originally from the north of France, a region with a rich textile heritage, she has always been fascinated by craftsmanship and intricate handmade work. After a degree in fashion design at Esmod International, she assisted designers in Marrakech and London. Whilst doing fabric research in Milan and Paris, Justine met highly skilled artisans who inspired and furthered her love for handcrafted textiles. She improved her technical knowledge in hand embroidery at the prestigious Lesage School in Paris, attending haute couture and interior design professional training.

A QEST Broderers’ Company grant enabled her to do a six month apprenticeship at Hand & Lock, where she built on her embroidery skills in monogramming and goldwork.

Justine worked as a freelance artisan for luxury design houses including Ralph & Russo, Alexander McQueen and Jasper Conran, and in 2020 set up Clo de Vila, offering detailed accessories designed in London and hand-embroidered in India by highly-skilled artisans.  She also teaches hand embroidery at Hand & Lock and is a Guest Lecturer at The Royal School of Needlework. 

Photo credits: Andree Martis, Lisa Bennett and Carlos De Château-Morand

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