by Caroline Labataille
I create works of art that serve as vessels of memories: handbags, pouches, necklaces, and vases, each crafted individually, entirely by hand, in France.
My work draws some of its inspiration from Native American arts and crafts and the vast landscapes of the American West. Wild deer hide, genuine turquoise, and solid silver ornaments from Arizona and New Mexico blend with my love for beautiful materials, subtle details, and meticulous finishes.
This attention to craftsmanship and a high standard of quality comes from my grandmother, who instilled in me a love for fine stitching and embroidery at a very young age. I later deepened this passion in the world of hand embroidery for luxury ready-to-wear and haute couture, where patience and precision are required.
Each creation is thus born from a deep connection with the hide, dialogue between the materials, the craftsmanship, and time.
These unique pieces are conceived as fragments of a territory, imbued with a silent presence.
Welcome to the world of Whispering Hooves.
A few words about my work
I use wild deerhides and more rarely calfskin for my creations.
The deerhides I work with come from the United States. These hides are supple, soft, strong, delicate and rustic all at the same time. They carry with them their wild life.
The turquoise, the sterling silver beads and conchos (buttons) come from Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, while the glass beads are made in Europe and Japan.
My slow, meditative work is a tribute to each animal.
It is a very deep and infinitely vivid relationship, and this prevails for each hide, whether it s wild deerhide or calfskin.
Each piece is unique and entirely crafted by my own hands in France.
Offering, Receiving
Each Whispering Hooves creation is unique and entirely handcrafted in France. From the carefully chosen hide to the embroidery, from the saddle stitching to the very last detail, each piece carries the presence, time and handwork that brought it into being.
To give one of them is to pass on something truly special: a living material, a whispered story, a presence meant to accompany someone over time.
To receive one is to enter that story in turn. To keep it, carry it, look at it, live with it. And with time, the piece will come to carry your story too.
Treated with care, it will accompany you for many years.
Each bag comes with its own handmade pouch in natural ecru cotton canvas, bearing its name, together with the text I have written for it.
A piece may be chosen for oneself, given to someone, or simply become the beginning of a conversation. If you would like to talk about one, I will be very happy to hear from you.
For a particular request or a made-to-order creation, you are also welcome to get in touch, and we can see together what might come from such an encounter.
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