Sabrina Nadal, chic à la française with Signature

Sabrina Nadal is a discreet and passionate lingerie designer. She always keeps in mind the legacy she received from the women and men who helped her develop her talent and creativity. She is who she is today thanks to her hard work but also thanks to what she learned from those women in the workshops, from master embroiderers, from lace makers whom she met along the way and who still take part in her creations. The world of lingerie has changed a lot in the past few years – today there is a stronger focus on fashion, but it can sometimes lead lingerie designers to forget about the historical foundations of lingerie. It is in this context that Sabrina Nadal leaned on her own legacy to create her new line, Signature. It expresses chic à la française, a quest for perfection combining embroidery with smooth and silky materials to better express femininity, sensuality, and bring more character to the garments. Signature also gives pride of place to French crafts and expresses a wish to go back to the basics.

Maison Sensey: How did it all begin?

Sabrina Nadal: It started around 24 years ago. I originally come from the ready-to-wear fashion world and came to lingerie by chance. Back then, lingerie was not as fashionable as it is now. I met a manufacturer who had just bought a plant in Normandy and who asked me to design lingerie for him. I had no training in lingerie. Back then, this manufacturer was producing foundation slips with a lot of lace and embroidery. That’s when I was lucky enough to meet five women who were passionate about their job. They had been there for generations and all started at the age of 15. They taught me everything there is to know about their line of work. They became like mothers to me, they really helped me take my first steps in the world of lingerie.

Things were hard at the beginning because they were all from a generation that did not easily share their knowledge. But as I kept humbly listening to them, they eventually understood that I was also there to bring them something. They took me under their wing and let me into their world. It lasted for almost 13 years. I eventually grew and used everything I had learned from them to create my own brand.

What did you learn from those women?

Many things. The first one is passion, and the fact that there is no school for it. And at the same time, they did not have a choice. It was their life, their home, their colleagues… I learned about human contact, about solidarity. Deep down, I think they truly wanted to pass down their knowledge, but one had to deserve it.

Is this knowledge difficult to pass on?

I think that people today do not know how to truly listen to people who are passing on their knowledge. One must read between the lines! Some people really want to share their knowledge, but we do not listen to them, we do not see them, or we do not really want to hear them. It’s a matter of generation. But as a professional, all one wants to do is to pass down their knowledge and skills.

What is Sabrina Nadal’s lingerie world like?

As I said, I originally worked in ready-to-wear fashion. When I started, nobody used ready-to-wear materials in lingerie. It was absolutely unheard of! But a few fashion houses like Balenciaga or Christian Dior started doing so. As I had worked for luxury brands before, I had an eye for using new materials in lingerie, such as lace, denim… My aim was not to make lingerie look younger, but to show that lingerie was a product in its own right and could mix with ready-to-wear clothes and accessories. It was self-evident to me.

Today, there are very precise codes to abide by. Back then, no one would buy lingerie if it wasn’t made in a suitable material. That’s how it started, thanks to this change that was occurring. There were many things to imagine and create. So I came to lingerie by chance, but also thanks to my eye for fashion. Lingerie had a rather stern look back then, it was very conventional, creativity was limited. Obviously, it made me want to change things and make them livelier!

And things did change! The world of lingerie has drastically changed. It is now on equal footing with clothing, and it is a rapidly expanding market. What do you think about this evolution?

Indeed! And it changed so much that we forgot about the foundations of lingerie. The market rapidly expanded; lingerie dared to push itself, and sometimes went too far and lost itself. It’s all about moderation. That’s why my Signatureline goes back to the basics. Let’s not forget that corsetry first serves a purpose – supporting the breast and providing comfort. Today, there is a sense of fashion in lingerie, and that’s very good, but let’s not forget what I’ve always been told: comfort and well-fitting support come first.

Through my Signature line, I wanted to use my skills and come back to the historical foundations of lingerie to create chic, elegant garments that also provide support – a true savoir-faire!

Which lace artisans did you choose for you Signature line?

Lace makers are the hardest to find because it is a craft specific to France. Lace makers are sought after in Haute Couture and they are quickly overwhelmed with work. There are few real lace makers left in Calais, so they are in very high demand. Lace requires precision and attention to detail. You need to know exactly how you want to use it. But it’s not only about lace, materials also play an essential role, along with embroideries.

For Signature, I worked both with lace makers and embroiderers from the North of France, around Caudry. They are much more flexible and open to new techniques. Embroiderers suffered from offshoring whereas lace makers didn’t, because Calais lace machines are not allowed to leave France as they are registered as UNESCO world heritage.

But the problem for lace makers is to find their replacement. It is becoming increasingly harder because there are no schools for lace makers. They are mechanics who work on those machines, outliners with a purely artisanal job. Lace makers and embroiderers are both facing difficulties with continuing their craft in the future. That’s why some companies are thinking about creating their own training centers.

Is it important for you to highlight these crafts in your collection?

Yes, absolutely! I also like this idea of passing down skills from generation to generation. When I started working in this family business in Normandy, I first worked with the grand-father, then met his son in the 90s, and now I’m starting to get to know his grand-sons. This transmission from generation to generation is highly motivating to me. It is the same with one of the corset-makers I work with, and several embroiderers as well. Such wonderful stories!

Indeed, things have changed, and I tip my hat to all those grand children who take up the challenge of preserving their family legacy and skills. It makes me want to create something with them. They are more than partners; we are a big family. This story is too beautiful to come to an end. I trust the people I work with and I am happy to see that there are still people fighting for their values and passion.

What’s this big family called?

There’s the Macosa company located in the Perche region. They are one of the last corset-maker companies and they are struggling to recruit people with the right skills. There’s also the Bracq company, lace-maker from the North of France, and I work with the embroiderer Broderie Leveaux.

How did your Signature line come to life?

I was lucky enough to travel a lot, both for my clients and for my own pleasure. You’re never French when you’re in France, but once you’re abroad, you realize how important our tangible and intangible cultural heritage is. French chic remains impalpable, it is about luxury but above all, it is a state of mind. My line also conjures up other words such as tolerance, diversity, open-mindedness, perfection, curiosity, a specific attitude. For me, luxury is a quest for perfection. In the end,Signature is the essence of French chic, it’s a return to basics.

Interview by Barbara Sensey
Paris