Japanese Textile Retreat
Sashiko, Shibori & Mindful Mending with Sophie Cagniart
France - June 19-25, 2027
Meet Sophie Cagniart: French Designer and Textile Artist
Sophie Cagniart is a French designer and textile artist whose work transforms discarded denim into deeply expressive, hand‑crafted pieces. Trained in fashion design and pattern making, she chose to step away from the world of fast fashion to reconnect with traditional craft, slow process, and the intimate language of handwork. Through techniques such as sashiko, sakiori, and shibori, Sophie creates richly textured surfaces that honor both Japanese textile traditions and the rugged history of denim itself.
Her practice is rooted in the belief that materials carry memory. Each stitch, patch, and indigo‑dyed fragment becomes part of a narrative—one that celebrates imperfection, repair, and the quiet beauty of things made slowly. Sophie’s work often begins with discarded jeans, which she revives through 25–30 hours of meticulous hand embroidery, mending, and reconstruction. The result is wearable art that holds both resilience and poetry: garments that age gracefully, gather stories, and become more beautiful with time.
As a teacher, Sophie brings warmth, clarity, and a deeply intuitive teaching style. She guides participants to trust their hands, explore texture and repair, and discover the meditative pleasure of stitching. Her retreats offer a space to reconnect with craft as a grounding, expressive practice—one where each mark of the needle becomes a gesture of care, attention, and creative renewal.
A Week to Recharge, Create & Connect
Step into a slower rhythm in the French countryside, where Japanese textile traditions and mindful mending unfold stitch by stitch.
- 25-30 hours of workshop time with Sophie
- Optional morning meditation and yoga sessions
- Massages and body treatments available onsite
- Swim, stroll, or journal by the private pool and gardens
- Relax in a restored vineyard estate with elegant, modern accommodations
- Savor chef-prepared, seasonal meals made to energize and inspire
- Enjoy curated outings to markets, vineyards, and artisan villages
- Build meaningful connections with like-minded creatives
- Carve out space for solitude, reflection, and joy
Whether you're layering sashiko threads or watching indigo dry in the sun, you’ll be held by slowness, presence, and creative restoration.
What to Expect
Guided by textile artist Sophie Cagniart, you’ll immerse yourself in slow stitching, natural indigo, and mindful mending while surrounded by vineyards, stone villages, and Provençal light. Together, we’ll explore how handwork can slow time, awaken the senses, and bring clarity to your creative voice.
Through the meditative practices of sashiko, shibori, and visible mending, you’ll:
- Stitch traditional sashiko patterns and build your own hand‑stitched projects
- Create resist‑dyed textiles using Nui Shibori and natural indigo
- Learn the art of repair through thoughtful, expressive mending
- Deepen your connection to materials, slowness, and sense of place
- Share and celebrate your work in a closing gathering
This is your invitation to reconnect, create, and be transformed.
