The sophistication and expressiveness of the style of the firm Braquenie, engaged in the production and distribution of carpets and fabrics from the middle of the XIX century

Passing the gallery

Transfer: Alexey Dramashko

Text: Catherine Synave

Magazine: H (43) 2000

What's new at Braquenie? In 1991, Pierre Frey bought this company and immediately reissued all previously produced models of carpets and fabrics. And a new boutique opened on Beaumarchais Boulevard in Paris. A bit of history. The company was founded by two brothers, Henri-Charles and Alexander Brakenye. The case helped them in 1842 to enter the corporation Demy-Doineau, which produced and distributed carpets and fabrics. In 1843, the brothers purchased from Kristof Oberkampf a batch of sketches and printed boards for fabric manufacturer Jouy. These materials have become an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Braquenie designers. All Paris knew the address of the Braquenie shop on Vivienne Street and the collections very quickly diverged. The flow of orders did not dry out. The firm served the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy of the Second Empire. The floors of the new Louvre by architect Lefuele were covered with carpets from Braquenie; the crew of Napoleon III was dwelt by them from floor to ceiling; Empress Eugenia, who was received at the Dolmabachce Palace in Istanbul, also walked around Braquenie ... Calico fabrics, produced in India for Western countries at the end of the 17th century, and very fashionable in the 18th century, became popular again. Sketches purchased from the company Jouy, allowed to organize their production. Of course, the company reminded of itself during universal exhibitions, where it was awarded gold or silver medals, and its agents traveled around the world, attracting more and more new customers. Time went by. World War I dealt a terrible blow to the enterprise. Then there was the crisis of 1929 - and again the difficulties. By the time Pierre Frey, who worked with upholstery fabrics, decided to buy Braquenie, the company's office was more like an oriental bazaar, where for centuries carpets, tapestries, calico, Jouy fabrics were collected. To this day, the Braquenie has retained its individuality. Old sketches were found and revised. The color range of modern products exactly repeats the colors of the prototypes of the XIX century. The testimony of the ever-living heritage, tastes and preferences of the French of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries — this is the sophistication and expressiveness of the firm's style.