Article: Manifesto, a manifesto in patterns

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Manifesto, un manifeste en motifs - Maison Fauve

Sep 15, 2026

Manifesto, a manifesto in patterns

FW 26/27 Collection — Les Mots Bleus

There are prints that dress us. And then there are those that tell a story.

Each season, I build a unique collection universe for Maison Fauve, and the print chosen to illustrate it is thought out with care. It is a story embodied not only by the patterns, but also thanks to a motif, colors, and materials.

For this new collection, I wanted to tell you who we are and put the DNA of Maison Fauve into a motif. The exercise was not simple, because my influences are plural: Art Deco, abstraction, and figurative works that are completely deconstructed. I also have a fascination for cabinets of curiosities, like a motley jumble that nevertheless forms an aesthetic and coherent whole.
Let me tell you how the Manifesto print was born, and everything it symbolizes for Maison Fauve.

To help you enter the universe of the collection and discover the inspirations behind Manifesto, I am sharing an excerpt from the Les Mots Bleus podcast here.

Discover the Manifesto print

A print that tells the story of Maison Fauve

"Les Mots Bleus" is a song by Christophe that talks about love, and how words can be insufficient to describe its full complexity and intensity. He evokes the depth of romantic feeling beyond words.

That is exactly the idea that drives me for Manifesto: to seek out what constitutes the essence of Maison Fauve, to tell our story in a way other than through words.

I kept the symbolism of the cabinet of curiosities in mind; I had already explored this type of drawing, like an antique engraving, in the Fauvae Botanica collection, as well as in one of our very first motifs, but I wanted to go further.

Visual coherence being the key to a motif, I thought about the type of fabric that offers this narrative possibility, and it appeared to me as obvious: toile de Jouy.

These famous monochrome fabrics owe their distinctiveness to the printing technique: the engraved copper plate, then the copper roller, which allow for a considerable finesse of design. Toile de Jouy is very close to an engraving printed on fabric, so it is totally in the spirit of the "line" I am looking for in the drawing.

Furthermore, the motifs are expressed in narrative islands, with the background providing breathing room. And that is where the idea makes perfect sense: my "cabinet of curiosities" will be this little scene, and it will recount Maison Fauve through symbolic elements.

A motif like a Manifesto

The drawing is already a first message: chiseled, precise, like antique engravings, while the watercolor work magnifies the color, stretches it, and brings it depth.

The "visual grammar" of Maison Fauve is found in every element:

the peacock, an animal very present in cabinets of curiosities and essential for us, it is at the heart of the Maison Fauve logo,
the tiger, the wild animal as an obvious choice, echoing our collection of animal-print motifs (and a nod to our name, which incidentally comes from Fauvism),
the peonies, which I wear on my arm, and which offer a major element in this imaginary garden,
the swallows, which my husband sports on his back, a more intimate symbol for me of a shared love,
the embroidery scissors, because sewing is our identity,
the corals, like foliage, which pick up one of the very first Maison Fauve prints, and energize the motif.

Why Manifesto? Because this print is the manifesto of who we are, of our singularity. The brand is 11 years old this year, and this motif comes as an obvious confirmation of the Maison Fauve universe.

Four colors, four ways to make the motif vibrate

Manifesto comes in four colors: Red, Green, Blue, and Black/Ecru.

Four interpretations of the same drawing, which plays with the color codes of toile de Jouy. Red asserts the motif with intensity. Green evokes nature and the bucolic inspirations of the print. Blue fits into the universe of the Les Mots Bleus collection. Black/Ecru plays on the contrast and graphic strength of the design.

Whether worn as a total look or in touches, Manifesto lends itself to everyone's desires. A strong piece, a printed detail, a whole silhouette: it's up to you to compose your own manifesto.

Two materials, two expressions of Manifesto

During the SS 26 Natural High collection, we launched a new material at Maison Fauve: printed cotton gabardine. A real success, and the consecration of a desire: to embrace prints on stronger pieces, like a jacket or trousers. And above all, the possibility of having fun creating total looks by combining gabardine and viscose poplin. The silhouette is bold, and that is definitely us!

Cotton gabardine: a material with structure

With its twill weave and hold, cotton gabardine gives the motif a particular presence. The color rendering is crazy: the motif is magnificent, the watercolor work is fully highlighted.

Manifesto in cotton gabardine lends itself to many pieces in the Maison Fauve wardrobe: from the Synopsis Bermuda shorts to the Misfit perfecto, including the Worn jeans, the Mimosa and Manhattan blazers, the Pilar jacket, the Roman overcoat, and the Peacock shorts—all pieces that require a medium-weight fabric with a nice hand.

A print for strong silhouettes, character pieces, and sewing projects that do not go unnoticed.

Discover the Manifesto cotton gabardine

Viscose poplin: all in softness

Viscose poplin offers another reading of Manifesto. Fluid and soft, it is opaque (no need to line your garment) and lends itself to light pieces.

It will be perfect for the Missive blouse and its incredibly charming sleeves, but also for the Folio top. A shirt like Scala or Skyline will be a little gem. And of course, dresses like Prose, Cuba Libre, or even Rosalie will have an undeniable retro charm in Manifesto.

Discover the Manifesto viscose poplin

A new print in the continuity of Maison Fauve

Manifesto is part of the history of Maison Fauve prints.

Like the creations of previous collections, it carries this desire to offer unique, recognizable designs that give the garment a real identity. It now joins the FW 26/27 Les Mots Bleus collection, with a particular ambition... To stay!

Manifesto is a permanent print. It is not just discovered for the duration of a season or a launch. It is meant to accompany sewing projects and creative desires over time.

A print that you can choose today, find again tomorrow, and bring to life in your own way.

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