"My artistic approach is primarily inspired by folklore and costumes, with a particular interest in headdresses  and masks. My creative process use traditional textile techniques and skills, such as felting, embroidery, knitting, and crochet."

- Séverine Gallardo

Foehn    2026    Hand-spun mohair and silk yarns, cotton threads, silk threads, velvet threads. Soap-and-needle-felted wool, pierced mother-of-pearl, dyed fish skin, African glass beads, antique glass beads, clay beads, drilled “tears of Job,” seashells from St. Georges de Didonne Beach, Miyuki beads, seed beads, gold braid, fragments of 17th-century Aubusson tapestry, photographs and vintage images transferred onto fabric and stuffing.    26.6 x 21.2 x 7 

Séverine Gallardo

For textile artist Séverine Gallardo, the process of creating embroidered wearable sculptures is an adventure. 

From her home in Angoulême, France, Séverine uses her needle to travel to far and distant places inspired by architecture, churches and cathedrals, history, textiles and cultures from the past. 

Her unique headdresses are modern interpretations of all she has discovered. Séverine loves to collect her materials by visiting flea markets or searching online for textiles, beads and fragments to repurpose in wondrous ways. These striking structures, with their landscapes, faces, patterns and charming motifs are full of intrigue, from how they came to be and from where. They are colourful and tactile, accomplished, yet joyful.

1. What is impacting your practice at the moment?

Séverine Gallardo: At the moment, I love discovering very old images from rare books that have been digitized in online libraries. It inspires me a lot because I use these old images to create a world. I also enjoy experimenting with new textile techniques. At the same time, I am creating a new headpiece made entirely by crochet.

Séverine Gallardo. broderie B, 2021. Images transferred to linen, knitted mohair  wool, embroidered silk and cotton threads, 
embroidered beads, linen embroidery, linen  
embroidery applique. 30 x 50 CM

2. What work are you most excited to make next?

SG: Right now I'm working on a series of landscapes embroidered on felted wool. I'm thinking about composition and how to tell a story through colors and shapes. I like to incorporate very old images I find online because I really admire the frescoes in the Romanesque churches in my region of France. At the same time, I'm working on developing a new style of headpiece. Using the crochet technique allows me to explore new architectural possibilities.
 

Séverine Gallardo. Parure Oiseaux, 2020. Embroidery, beads, fish skin, felt. 37 x 18 x 16 Cm

3. What first comes to mind when you think of the month of October? Do you have a personal connection with it?

SG: I was born in October, which is why this month is special to me, and fall is my favorite season.

Séverine Gallardo. broderie C (sans titre), 2021. Images transferred to linen, tanned fish skin embroidered on linen, traditional Afghan beads, embroidery on linen, embroidery applique on linen. 24 x 58.5 CM

4. How do you decide what materials to work with for your pieces?

SG: The choice of materials is central to my work. I work primarily with natural materials that I spend a lot of time collecting. I find much of my raw material at flea markets and antique shops. I like that every piece I use already has a story. I also like to use animal materials—a lot of sheep’s wool or alpaca, but also silk thread, fish skin, beetle elytra, and snakeskin. And also stones, wooden and glass beads, and seashells. In my creations, I try to capture the beauty of the world as best I can, which is why I use precious materials.

Séverine Gallardo. Holy Mountain, 2025. Hand-dyed merino and alpaca wool yarns, silk yarns, cotton yarns, lurex yarns, gold thread, felt, hand-felted wool, carded wool, an old felted jumper, fragments of Aubusson tapestry, transfers on linen, climbing ropes, wooden beads, fabrics from an upholstery tapestry catalogue, antique doilies, bells, antique braid with gold threads, pierced mother of-pearl, African glass beads, stone beads, Miyuki beads, seed beads, tanned trout skin, python skin, transfers on linen, beetle elytra.  78 x 38 x 15 CM

5. Can you describe your beginnings with creating headdresses/pieces?

SG: I could say that I stumbled into designing headwear by accident. I had knitted a bag while experimenting with jacquard. Then I had this weird and funny idea to put the bag on my head as a joke. I thought it looked really beautiful. Truly beautiful. So I decided to design a hat. That hat gradually evolved into a work of architecture. I loved the idea of connecting the spirit to the sky. My very first headpieces were worn by my grandmother. I was moved by the beauty she radiated while wearing them. Since then, I’ve paid tribute to the people I love by having them pose and wear my jewelry sets.  I’m very happy to have a beautiful portrait of my grandmother, who has since passed away. Because death is present in my work. My headdresses represent magnificent gardens and landscapes as a symbol of hope.

Séverine Gallardo. Epopée , 2026  Embroidery on soap-felted carded wool. Miyuki beads, seed beads, and wooden beads; seashells. Images printed on satin, images transferred onto linen, satin, cotton, and silk threads. Cotton fabrics. 102 x 42 CM 

6. When drawing inspiration from history and documentary, can you talk about your process in integrating these influences into your works?

SG: I love the legacy of tradition and craftsmanship hand gesture techniques that have stood the test of time. My grandmothers taught me to knit and crochet; they, in turn, had learned from their mothers. Every country has its own textile traditions, and I find the resulting creations breathtakingly beautiful—whether they’re rugs or tapestries, folk costumes, or even small everyday accessories made from leather. Often, these creations are made collaboratively; it’s a time for sharing and exchange. I love their symbolic meaning. I love drawing inspiration from these traditions. I love their humble nature.
 

Séverine Gallardo. Katskhi, 2024. Crocheted hand-dyed wool threads, embroidered West African glass beads, cotton thread embroidery, tanned trout skin, old glass beads,  fragments of 17th century Aubusson tapestry, felt, hand-sewn ropes the hand.  55 x 25 x 17 CM

7. Is the shape of your work something you think about before starting a piece or does it develop as you work?

SG: I never think about the piece beforehand. I start without knowing where I’m going or what the result will be. I simply let the material and chance guide me, and I find myself discovering what my hands are capable of.

Séverine Gallardo. Palazzo 01, 2025. Images transferred to linen, embroidered silk and cotton threads, embroidered beads, linen embroidery, linen embroidery  applique. 

21.5 x 47 CM

"Over time, my work has evolved  towards more architectural forms, combining ornamentation and embroidered motifs that I most often  draw from historical and documentary images."

- Séverine Gallardo