Biography
Tradition.
Creation. 1804. Artisans et artists. Port-au-Prince. Paris. Sequins. Leather. Drums. Design or Voodoo! … But who is Pascale Théard? Borned into a mixed culture of a haitian father and a french mother, Pascale Théard grew up in Port-au-Prince, surrounded by the rhythm of drums, the crisp sound of leather being cut, the artisans’ laughter resonating in the air and merging with it. Smells, colors, sounds and raw materials have nurtured her childhood and have drawn for her, as accurately as Vèvès designed with lime on the floor, a powerful identity, between tradition and creation. It is, therefore, fully aware of what she has received from her native Haiti that she traveled to Paris with the idea, still vague, of a meaningful return... She successfully concluded her graduate studies in finance. But soon her passion for crafts led to a postgraduate diploma at the “Institut Supérieur de Marketing du Luxe” founded by a certain ... Cartier. Her research thesis also led her to rub shoulders with the biggest names in fine leather - Hermès, Massaro, Berluti and the most prestigious workshops opened their doors to her … |
With her paper on "The Symbolism of the Shoe at the Dawn of the 21st Century", she went one step further by finishing top of her class in 1999, at just 24 years! She then completed her education with intensive sessions in leather craft within the prestigious Ars Sutoria in Milan.
With a career already mapped between the capitals of fashion and marketing, Pascale Théard, like so many others, could have immersed herself in business without hesitation. But for her, the real wealth, more than ever, stood out as obvious: it is and it will be Haiti and nothing else in the world! And why have to choose between the highest spheres of luxury and her country still seeking its way? Oppose one to the other ... as always, or seek to reconcile them, as a credible track towards real development? Read More...
With a career already mapped between the capitals of fashion and marketing, Pascale Théard, like so many others, could have immersed herself in business without hesitation. But for her, the real wealth, more than ever, stood out as obvious: it is and it will be Haiti and nothing else in the world! And why have to choose between the highest spheres of luxury and her country still seeking its way? Oppose one to the other ... as always, or seek to reconcile them, as a credible track towards real development? Read More...
Inspirations
HAITI is a continuous source of inspiration for me... from the ancient veve's symbols of voodoo spirits that are so graphic and beautifully unique to the "recycled art" of the new emerging artists of Haiti... from the magnificent arts and crafts of pearls and sequins embroideries on the voodoo's flags to the use of natural elements such as horn, sisal, wood... Another great source of inspiration is the incredible life of the streets in Port-au-Prince... while spending a lot of time in traffic, I am always amazed by the natural elegance of the Haitians, their postures, their spontaneous smile... In a country where most of people are fighting to make an everyday living, the essence of what is really essential in life is always present... and that is why everything here is so inspirational, so true, so strong, so authentic...
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Workshop
“ When crafting our accessories, the human hand is our most valuable tool. Each artisan creating a piece puts in a lot of his time, his skill and most of all his passion. That is why we believe that our creations have a soul. They are not mere objects but the product of a wonderful human adventure. ”
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