CRAFTIVIST
For more than 15 years, Nathalie lived in Asia where she worked in design, fashion and hospitality. In 2021, she decided to return to Mauritius, her home country to pursue her passion for arts and crafts.
Now, with thread and needle, Nathalie defies convention and elevates sewing to
an art form. Driven by the belief that positive
change and meaningful conversations can be
initiated from craftwork, Nathalie’s creations
feature intricate stitchwork, unusual waste
materials and a story. It is her starting point for a
"gentle protest" through craftivism, a form of
activism built around a craft that provokes
thought in a non-combative way and that gets
people to ask questions.
MY CREATIONS
BIN YOUR BUTTS
When seen from afar, it looks like a beautiful and colorful basket. But looking closer, you realize that the basket is actually made from cigarette filters which Nathalie collected at a beach cleanup in Mauritius. She neatly cut the cigarette butts, deodorized, meticulously stitched and integrated them within cross-stitch and embroidery patterns. Utilizing vibrant colors of threads and fabric, she created an object transforming ugly and toxic discarded cigarette butts into a visually appealing basket.
Through this art piece, Nathalie wants to remind smokers to responsibly extinguish and dispose of their cigarettes and to raise awareness that cigarette butts are a form of plastic pollution and therefore very damaging to the environment.
UNFOLDING OF THE LOTUS
Soaking in a stone bath filled with soft lotus flower petals was my most memorable experience during a recent visit to Shinta Mani Angkor in Cambodia. I decided to articulate this vision through a recycling challenge and in that regard, the hotel gave me an old and damaged hotel bed sheet.
As a craftivist, my vision for this piece was driven by the legend of the delicate yet strong lotus
flower. As an environmentalist, my art is driven by the desire to give new life to old materials. I
hope that my creation will inspire others to feel the connection between nature and our
responsibility to preserve it.
2024 FASHION REVOLUTION WEEK
Creation of a unique piece of art made from an old uniform of a factory worker and Helios sunglasses lenses that have been scrapped due to defects. This initiative aims to raise awareness on the importance of repurposing and giving a second life to old/unused materials and influence a cultural change across the fashion industry. By repurposing old uniforms and sunglasses lenses, we’ve woven together a story of creativity and conscience.
SAVE THE OCEAN
Living in a paradise island like Mauritius, Nathalie understands the importance to save the ocean. An astonishing amount of plastic ends up on the beach and in the ocean. Controlling pollution and overfishing can help to protect coral reefs and allow coral regeneration. Nathalie aims to inspire people to act for a change through this unique installation combining digital art and a handmade macrame.
CLEVER CRAFTS
What to do with an old keyboard or shoe bags?
Rethink, remake, reuse and repurpose things.
PERSONALIZED GIFT
Nathalie had the chance to collaborate with the talented Mauritian artist, Pascal Lagesse for a one-off edition diary for a travel writer and photojournalist friend visiting Mauritius for the very first time. The vibrant artwork in Pascal’s signature ‘Zafer Style’ depicting a tree set against Mauritius breathtaking landscape was transformed into a meticulously handsewn canvas notebook cover with 3D effect.
2023 COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
Nathalie volunteered for Purple Lime at the Creative Quarter in Mauritius. She sewed Emoji cushions, beautiful dolls and bags to raise funds for underprivileged children.
BLOSSOM
Call me Blossom. I was born on a beautiful tropical island called Mauritius. There is an abundance of colour in our flowers here, my favourite being yellow. As a hobby, I love watching butterflies dancing from bloom to bloom. Made with love and waste for Purple Lime.
TOM
Call me Tom. I was born in a small village, Pointe aux Cannoniers located north-west of Mauritius island. Back in the old days, it used to be a military camp for the French settlers and the ideal site for spotting fugitive slaves and English invaders. I love wearing my military camouflage jumper. When it rains I can still go outside to exercise and wear my hoodie. Made with love and waste for Purple Lime.
FIBER ART
Nathalie loves to experiment with fabric and thread to create beautiful handcrafted wall hangings and decorative objects. She combines weaving, macrame and quilting techniques to create unique art pieces.