Pinton, an Immersive Visit to an Exceptional Factory

Since its very beginnings, bringing beauty to the fore has been at the heart of what The Socialite Family does. And this is often achieved – if not to say every time – through handicraft. The handicraft of men and women, artists and craftspeople, passionate about their chosen discipline and able to make us fully feel that through their creations. As a way of shining a light on them, we have decided to take you behind the scenes at Pinton. The very epitome of excellence à la française, Pinton shares the same two fundamental values we ourselves do: the family and traditional authenticity.

In fact, it’s Lucas Pinton himself who has taken on the role of guide for this report. As someone who, along with his sisters, represents the fifth generation of a particularly unique family, this is second nature to him. Pinton was founded in 1867 by their great-great-grandfather in the French department of Creuse. Or to be more precise, in Felletin, where their workshops specialising in the creation of tapestries, rugs and carpets imbued with the ancestral spirit of Aubusson are based. The very ones where our Roma and Luna rugs are made in accordance with time-honoured traditional local know-how. To keep this unique way of doing things alive, the name Aubusson is now protected and carries a GI (Geographical Indication) designation. Our models made from wool are therefore part of our country’s heritage. This is a source of great pride, considering that Pinton is also an accredited EPV (Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant – Living Heritage Company) and a member of the French design trades association Ateliers d’Art de France. Everything here operates on a short supply chain basis, which enables a several-centuries old tradition to be kept alive! The natural fibres arrive from local partner factories ready spun and dyed before passing into the expert hands of Pinton’s weavers, all of whom are trained in-house. The most experienced craft workers thus pass on their knowledge to the younger ones, who will not have had any prior training – too hard to come by. A love of the craft itself therefore needs to develop quite quickly. This is the only required criteria for joining this prestigious company.

Pinton is known worldwide for its mastery of the technique known as “battage”, which consists of obtaining a colour transition or gradation through the interpenetration of different hues into the weave. This special particularity is one of the many methods Pinton uses to continually explore new ground. Constantly reinventing itself year after year, this family business is as much in demand by the world of art, for its Pinton Éditions service, as it is by the luxury decoration sector for its virtually bespoke Pinton Manufacture service. A success as fascinating as it is amply deserved, the inner workings of which we reveal to you through an exclusive behind-the-scenes look.

Manufacture Pinton, 9 Rue Préville – 23500 Felletin. Telephone: +33 (0)5 55 66 55 42. Showroom Pinton, 71 rue du Cherche-Midi – 75006 Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 45 44 60 02.