About
Matéo Laurent is a draughtsman, portrait painter and a graduate from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Since 2020 he has been working on commissions for designers in the field of fashion and crafts. His fascination for featherworking began when he visited Julien’s workshop in Paris as a first-year student and since then he has been developing his skills in the craft alongside his studies.
Matéo was paired with Julien Vermeulen for the first edition of Homo Faber Fellowship, they were one of the 21 selected master artisan and fellow duos taking part in the Michelangelo Foundation’s new professional integration programme which facilitates transmission from one generation to the next. Matéo chose to participate for the opportunity to acquire practical skills and to consolidate his prior knowledge of featherworking. As it is a difficult craft to learn, the Fellowship offered a unique chance for Matéo to take a first step towards a career in featherworking. He jumped at the chance to observe firsthand the challenges that an artisan faces, the internal organisation of a workshop and the tasks associated with working on a joint object.
During his 6-month placement in Julien’s workshop, he has helped to sort, organise, dye and shape feathers. He has been involved in the workshop’s ongoing projects, assisting with feather fitting, embroidery, weaving and 3D printing development. Other tasks have included producing files, technical drawings and concentrating on the co-creation project, a set of vermeil and feather ear parts.
