A few months ago, DS launched the second edition of its Métiers d'Art competition, which aims to highlight craftsmanship, a symbol of the unique expertise that DS intends to bring to the automotive market. This second edition was dedicated to light, with a tempting menu, the redefinition of the radiator grille and, as a model, the new DS 3.
This second edition of DS x Métiers d'Art therefore sought to express the creativity and know-how of each individual around a fundamental element of identity in the automotive world: the grille. The new DS 3 E-TENSE served as the muse, as its front end allowed for the creation of a new surface for the craftsmen, who were able to express themselves freely on the grille, completely reinterpreting the front of the car.
Candidates were first invited to register, and then an internal committee selected nine people to produce samples within a given budget. Three finalists, selected by a jury made up of DS Automobiles teams and influential personalities from the brand's areas of expression (fashion, culture and gastronomy), were then invited to create a DS 3 E-TENSE grille, always within a fixed budget, to be presented at Révélations, the International Biennial of Crafts and Creation, in June 2023.
The DS x MÉTIERS D'ART 2 Jury
Hervé Lemoine, President of Mobilier national, President of the Jury
Anne Lopez, creator of Universes, winner of the first edition of DS x MÉTIERS D'ART
Cécile Feilchenfeldt, textile designer specialising in knitwear, founder of Knitwearstudio Paris
Coperni, Arnaud Vaillant & Sébastien Meyer, co-founders
Julien Dumas, Michelin-starred chef of the Bellefeuille restaurant at the Hôtel Saint James Paris and DS Automobiles gastronomy ambassador
Béatrice Foucher, former Managing Director of DS Automobiles
Thierry Metroz, DS Automobiles Styling Director
Jean-Phillipe Vanhulle, DS Automobiles upholstery workshop manager
The public, who were able to vote online
The jury chose Lyse Drouaine as the winner of the second DS x MÉTIERS D'ART competition, to whom DS Automobiles entrusted a budget for the creation of a unique grille for the DS 3 E-TENSE (named DS 3 E-TENSE LUMEN).
Thierry Metroz, Style Director at DS Automobiles, explains: "For the second edition of our competition, we wanted to focus on the theme of light. It is an essential element in the automotive world. Externally, it reveals the sculptural surfaces of the bodywork, highlights the curves and edges and reinforces the visual identity of the car through the lights and headlamps. Inside, it reinforces the atmosphere of the cabin, enlivens the interior and communicates with the occupants according to their needs. Lyse Drouaine's work is a subtle blend of classic and modern. She has used the loom, a very old working tool, while giving it a great modernity through the materials used, especially technical ones such as fibre optics and natural ones such as fabrics. This project is part of our SustaiNobility projects, which combine sustainability and nobility. "
Lyse Drouaine, founder of the LUXDAWN design house, which offers architects and decorators innovative lighting materials to enhance exceptional places, combines her passion for light and architecture with her expertise in weaving. In her workshop in the Cité de la Tapisserie in Aubusson, she explores the passage of light, from material to space, inspired by the emotion of the first light of dawn. She is the second winner of the DS x MÉTIERS D'ART after Anne Lopez in 2022.
Lyse Drouaine, winner of DS x MÉTIERS D'ART 2, says: "I create, design and manufacture luminous materials woven by hand from optical and diffusion fibres, which I combine with fibres of natural origin such as linen, silk, cotton and hemp. I work between Aubusson, a city famous for its tapestries, and Lyon, the city of light. The peculiarity of my work is that it combines the crafts of weaving and lighting. When DS Automobiles launched this competition on the theme of light, it was obvious that I had to take part. I called my project 'Incidence'. Technical constraints led me to define a new aesthetic of light through the principle of transparency, the effect of depth and the sensation of vibration. The shape and volume specific to the design of the louvre led me to work with a flexible material with shape memory. For its production, I used a mixed technique of weaving and tapestry, adapted tools and new gestures. "
DS 3 E-TENSE LUMEN presents a grille made up of a weave of optical fibres, diffusion fibres and enamelled copper wires, as well as a printed conformable adhesive, highlighted by backlighting. Unique edition, DS 3 E-TENSE LUMEN will soon be available in DS STORES.