The Nomade Factory, when destinies intertwine

You know us, at Bonnegueule, when we talk about textiles and know-how, we go for it . Clothes are full of beautiful stories and we love telling them to you. New chapter: The Nomad Factory.

It all starts the day our editor-in-chief Christophe returns from an event at La Caserne . On site, he meets many players in the textile market who are trying to change the sector.

He opens the door and looks at me with a cheerful look: “Quentin, I have a subject for you.” Neither one, nor two, I hasten to join him to listen attentively to his words. He tells me he met “some fantastic people at La Caserne”, and that I have to go see them. Faced with so much enthusiasm, I can only go for it. No questions asked.

For a few hours, I scanned the web looking for information on La Fabrique Nomade . It is an association whose objective is to rehabilitate the know-how of artisans on the French textile market.

La Fabrique Nomade does not just train artisans from all over the world, it helps members integrate into society as humans. Clothes and Men.

Discovery of the project

But I need more. This is why I decided to meet Inès Mesmar , founder of La Fabrique Nomade, so that she could share with us her journey and her ambitions.

Quentin : Where did the idea of ​​creating La Fabrique Nomade come from?

Inès : I came across some embroidery made by my mother by chance, hidden in her wardrobe. That's how I discovered my mother's job in Tunisia. I didn't know anything about it before, I was 35 at the time ! After this discovery, I made the link between her story, the fact that she did not succeed in having her skills recognized and the fact that she did not find a place. I feel this sense of waste, of the person she could have been.

Q : I imagine that's the trigger...

I : I went to investigate the accommodation centers to try to understand the situation of artisans and how, today, we recognize the skills of people who arrive in France, particularly in craft professions.

Q : What did you learn from this investigation?

I : This led me to the conclusion that people, regardless of their profession, encounter common obstacles: the language barrier, the absence of a network, the fact that their skills are not recognized in France. This leads them to work in sectors under pressure such as security, catering, hotels and even construction.

Q : And at the beginning, how was the project received?

I : I drop it off at a think tank , La Ruche. The project is received, a press release is launched, and I already have three articles published even though the concept has not even been launched yet . Ghaita heard about the Fabrique Nomade in an article in Libé , she joined the association: she was the first volunteer!

Q : A very positive reception, then!

I : Yes! In a short time, we began to form partnerships and make our first collection. We collaborated with three artisans and three French designers, and that’s how it started. We wanted to show the skills, and also the ability to adapt, of those who go through the Factory.

Q : Today, what does training at Fabrique Nomade look like?

I : It’s tough. We created a course of 8 modules , with French, economics, deepening technical knowledge, a lot of practice... We wanted to set up complete training, not only specific to the craft, but also with more transversal skills. There are several cycles in the training. The craftsman, regardless of his specialty, must present a professional project , complete an internship, appear before a jury. 9 months may seem like a long time, but it's very short! When you have to perfect your technique, learn French, all these things take time... The craftsman must come more motivated than ever.

Q : How do you recruit talent?

I : (laughs) The first big job is to go get them! We rely a lot on our prescribers, accommodation centers... these are our first targets. Pôle emploi, the immigration office but also word of mouth which also works. Moreover, I would like to point out that all craftsmen are regularized, have obtained the right of residence and their work authorization.

Q : I read in an article that your primary mission was “to restore confidence”…

I : You have to. We must recognize what they are, and what they bring. It is more than self-confidence, this recognition is necessary for an integration process. This is what builds their future place in society. When the person arrives in France, they have lost everything, they no longer have confidence in themselves. As a result, we must restore this part of their identity and allow them to rebuild their person.

Meeting the artisans

Once the interview is over, I only have one desire: to open the doors of the Fabrique Nomade and meet these artisans , in their environment.

The sun has barely risen, I stand in front of the workshop. At 1 bis avenue Daumesnil, I enter another universe: hammer blows, smell of glue, fabric everywhere. On two floors, more than twenty artisans sewing, knitting, filing . The atmosphere is studious and warm. Seeing all these people working, I'm dying to be able to talk with them, to know their story.

After talking with Inès and Gaita, I met four artisans, each more passionate and exciting than the last. Let me introduce them to you.

Anastasia

Anastasia is a born embroiderer: after two years of study in the field, she worked for a year and a half as an embroiderer at Sanahunt, a high-end supplier for large luxury houses.

At the same time, she gives embroidery lessons in a high school to pass on her know-how.

Anastasia likes to imagine, draw, choose materials and then embroider. This allows him to express his personality. She likes to embroider on natural materials such as cotton, wool or silk.

Arriving in France in March 2022, she joined La Fabrique Nomade in April 2022. She wants to improve on certain techniques, such as straightening, and learn to speak French. At only 30 years old, she would like to be an employee in a luxury house like Dior or Chanel after her training. Ambitious, she is even thinking of creating a workshop in France after several professional experiences in the French job market.

Zakaria

When I meet Zakaria for the first time, I immediately understand that I am speaking to a true enthusiast.

From a young age, Zakaria wanted to become a jeweler. As a teenager, he attended jewelry school in Georgia and then began working for himself, making handmade jewelry in gold, silver or platinum.

Zakaria's specialty is polishing , setting and working with artificial or natural stones such as diamonds.

Aged 62, Zakaria is determined to pursue his passion in France. This is why he decided to join promotion 7 of the crafts training at La Fabrique Nomade in 2022.

Mariam

Mariam and sewing are a great love story. In her village, in Egypt, she was the one who made the clothes. Despite her BAC Pro sewing, she ended up working in a company manufacturing formal dresses for children, household linens, cushion covers, etc.

But Mariam does not give up, she wants to work in sewing and decides to continue her apprenticeship in Italy for almost a year.

Having just arrived in France, aged 36, she worked in the food industry, then joined La Fabrique Nomade, which allowed her to once again dream big about her future.

Lianna

Lianna is pure technique : stumpwork, flat stitch, chain stitch, cross stitch, canvas, crochet, macramé...

At 47, she is an experienced seamstress. She is used to working with different materials, whether to adorn ready-to-wear pieces, create textile accessories or to design jewelry.⁠

Following her arrival in France in 2013, she worked for a baby clothing brand - but she didn't do enough sewing for her liking. Thus, she chose to train at Fabrique Nomade in 2021, in order to qualify for positions specialized in sewing.

In the next episodes, you will follow the adventures of these four artisans who have a deep desire to learn new skills in their professions. Fully immersed in the heart of the project, we will attend practical exercises, internships and much more. They will show you behind the scenes of their training, with sincerity and determination.