Passementerie Series

Passementerie is an increasingly rare form of textile craft. It is abroad term that encompasses a variety of trimmings including tassels, fringes, gimp, cords and pom-poms among others. The Passementerie Series celebrates this decorative craft, transforming its visual language from flexible ornamentation into functional, solid forms.
The objective for this series is to challenge the established hierarchical structure of ornament as a design element by reimagining and reframing the relationship between passementerie and furniture.

Although passementerie is ubiquitous, whether a trimming on the edge of a sofa or tassels on the tie-backs of curtains, it mainly exists as an accent or ornament. This body of work moves beyond this dynamic to engage the unique textures, forms, and techniques of passementerie in the fundamental structure of the design.

Laura Casañas Maya (b. 1993) was born in Cali, Colombia. She received a BFA in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017. Laura’s practice spans several mediums, including metal, wood, textiles, and ceramics.
Her current work is informed by the intricate and storied craft of passementerie, which she deftly channels through her utilization of its visual idioms, materials, and techniques. Through a nuanced exploration of the theme of nostalgia, she reimagines and subverts the established hierarchical structure of passementerie as a design element.