The workshop of Eric Charles-Donatien, the feathers master, is adjacent to the original building of the French Ministry of Culture in the heart of the Paris textile district. Inside the atelier, which serves at the same time as a show-room and a boutique, reins the twilight of creativity and peace. A few craftsmen lean over long table doing the work that requires of remarkable patience. As if in a cavern of Ali Baba, here and there hang and lie little treasures of leather, fur and, of course, feathers of all colors and textures. On a wall of the corridor leading into the inner office of Eric hang sketches of accessories, decorated with feathers. The owner himself, an embodiment of charm and courtesy, greets us like old friends who have come for a cup of tea. Feathers are his old passion that naturally passed on to a profession. Eric made his debut fourteen years ago with the best of the best – in the famous house of Maison Lemarié, before the starting the Moye & Da line, engaged in hand making of handbags, jewelry and decorations of his own design. But to all couture houses of Paris, Eric Charles-Donatien is primarily known as a genius of feathers. The more incredible is the designer’s idea associated with feathers decoration, the greater the chance that they will turn to Eric.
Our “heroine” – a fitted floor-length flared skirt, the master will turn into a weightless cloud of ostrich elongated feathers, white at the bottom edge and gradually thickening the color to the waist. Fantastic idea of Christophe requires no less fantastic performance. Hundreds of hours of manual work over a pure dream of haute couture with each new ostrich layer on organza carcass giving it a shape, attractive in its inaccessibility..
Eric has just finished the white, thickest bottom layer and gradually moves to the gray halftone, rising up the narrowing hem. There are only three and a half days left to the fashion show, and I ask myself a quite appropriate, for any uninitiated, question: “Will he manage in time? It’s almost impossible! “. Keeping in mind that the order of Christophe Josse is not the only one for the upcoming fashion week. But the complete calmness of Eric, carefree chatting with us, methodically fingering fragile feathers, dispels any possible doubts. Everything is under control. The next dress try on the mannequin is scheduled in two days. Not to be missed!
Photo credits: Haute Couture News / Russian Couture News by Anna Marion