After eight wonderful years living in sunny California, I moved back to Europe and settled in a small, tranquil town in the middle of France called Vichy. It is a beautiful, little spa town – many call it mini-Paris – along the banks of the Allier River. The town is known for its beauty products and hot springs.

I fell in love with Vichy’s eclectic style of architecture. It ranges from Art Nouveau and Art Deco to Neo-Gothic and Neo-Baroque. Strolling through the streets never became boring, I always discovered something new to admire in the beautiful facades, wrought iron balconies and vintage and antique boutiques.

During those years – from 2010 to 2015 – one of my favourite activities was visiting the lively authentic outdoor markets called marché aux puces or vide grenier, which is French for flea market or emptying the attic. Some of you might also have heard of the vintage and antique fairs called brocante. You find them throughout France during the summer season and they are extremely popular. You might even say they are a national passion in France – and you would be wise to know they are taken pretty seriously by the natives who spend their weekends visiting them searching for old treasures.

Visiting the brocantes always filled me with excitement and anticipation. I spent many hot summer days in picturesque towns bursting with history and old time charm. Warm, dusty streets were packed with vendors displaying their goods on small tables or simply spread out onto blankets on the ground. It is all very lively. While some vendors are in a heated discussion with a bargain hunter over what the price should be, others are snoozing in the sun having lunch with a glass of wine. Mind you, lunch, especially in rural France is no laughing matter and is – by all means – not to be missed.

An object, which always caught my eye but I never bought, were old, traditional French vintage linen tea towels. And they are not just any kind of tea towels. As you can see from the photo, I mean the ones with typical woven red stripe design and an embroidered monogram. They are wonderfully soft to hold in your hand; the more you wash them, the softer they become. These linen towels are a true find of high quality. They are sought after by collectors and naturally come with a «decent» price tag.

Ever since I started my own business and created a personal textile and pillow collection, I have wished I had bought such towels while living in France. I want to turn them into beautiful vintage throw pillows, bringing the French charm into people’s home. For me this idea represents staying true to my love for a mix of old and found design pieces combined with modern elements. I believe this balance makes a home more real, personal and well lived.

After some searching and good help of friends and family, I am now the lucky owner of quite a few old, traditional French vintage linen tea towels. They found them at a local flea market in a neighbouring village to where my mum lives. You can image the smile on my face when I finally held them in my hands. I am sure you guys can see the vintage magic, right?!

And now some of these vintage, monogrammed, French tea towels are turned into gorgeous throw pillows, which you can find in my shop.

xoxo, Alexia