THE ART OF CANNETILLE
OR METAL HAND EMBROIDERY TECHNIQUE
A PRECIOUS HERITAGE
In addition to its ‘urban’ collection, MASHA KEJA proudly features the forgotten historic art of embroidery with metallic gold thread, known as ‘cannetille’. Appearing in France in the XVI century, «cannetille» embroideries became particularly popular during the Napoleonic era. This sumptuous yet costly technique was reserved for royal families and their courts. Impossible to automate, it has become rare over time, surviving only on army officers' headdresses and in the most exclusive creations of Haute Couture.
ANCESTRAL KNOW-HOW
Cannetille embroidery is a highly skilled, historic technique created exclusively by hand using fine metal wires, plated with gold or silver. To create the desired motif, the embroiderer cuts the metal thread-wire into delicately small pieces, and meticulously applies them one by one with needle and thread to create a sumptuous three-dimensional pattern. This rare technique demands great skill, patience and time.
MASTERPIECE WORK
To illustrate the complexity of the technique, the creation of the MASHA KEJA logo requires approximately 830 tiny, hand-cut parcels of cannetille, assembled with more than 1,660 individual needle points. This is meticulous work of infinite precision, leaving no room for error. A whole day is required to create just one logo.
INNOVATION AND MODERNITY
Together with one of the rare ateliers, who works for the army and specializes in the preparation of ‘cannetille’ embroidery, we developed an embroidery technique especially for a lambskin base. In order to optimize prices for this time-consuming and meticulous work, we prepare the leather pieces in advance and send the batch order to our embroiderer. Upon receipt of this order in our Parisian atelier, each piece is checked, prepared, and cut by hand. It is also in Paris that the embroideries are carefully applied with handmade stitching onto our ‘ADRIANA’, ‘SUZANNE’, ‘ANNIE'S TOTE’, and ‘CITY’ bags as well as our ‘SUZY’ and ‘OSLO’ pouches.
HAUTE MAROQUINERIE
MASHA KEJA has revolutionized cannetille embroidery by applying it onto lambskin leather. This innovation gave birth to the iconic ‘AVA BABY’ bag, whose flap and back form a single piece, embroidered on the front without any seams. This refined simplicity demands absolute perfection from the embroiderers, as should any stains or imperfections occur, the embroidery would not be retained. The French atelier that produces ‘AVA BABY’ bags takes over the next stage of this delicate work, assembling these veritable masterpieces with the utmost precision. Due to the complexity and skill required to create ‘AVA Baby,’ only three to ten of each color are produced.