Threads of Heritage: Priscille Berthaud’s Residency Program Journey with Indonesian Tenun

In 2025, PINTU Incubator launched its first-ever Residency Program, a bold initiative designed to strengthen Indonesia–France collaboration through fashion and culture. This new chapter in the incubator program gave young French designers the opportunity to work directly with Indonesian artisans, immersing themselves in local traditions while reinterpreting them into contemporary fashion. Among them was Paris-based designer Priscille Berthaud, who spent three months in Indonesia exploring tenun and songket in Lombok and developing her collection at Teras Lakon in Jakarta. The results of this creative exchange will be unveiled at the prestigious Première Classe Paris Trade Show 2025, positioning Indonesian craftsmanship firmly on the global stage.

For Priscille, the Residency was not just about designing clothes but about understanding how tradition lives in the hands of weavers. In Lombok, she witnessed the meditative rhythm of women aligning threads, preparing the warp, and weaving textiles that carried centuries of meaning. Each motif told a story—of nature, philosophy, and identity—woven into cloth that functions as both dowry and cultural legacy. “I was deeply moved to see different generations of women working on these unique textiles that tell their story. Each thread brings the community together,” she reflected. It was this living heritage that became the soul of her collection.

Working from Teras Lakon, Priscille also drew inspiration from architecture. The building’s layered structures, open spaces, and graphic staircases influenced her exploration of lines and forms. She found resonance between architectural alcoves she had studied in France and the spatial dialogue within Teras Lakon, blending these inspirations with her textile research in Lombok. The result is a collection that harmonizes structure and softness, heritage and modernity.

Her designs feature loose, elegant cuts inspired by traditional garments like sarong, kebaya, and baju kurung. By respecting the natural widths and patterns of tenun and songket, Priscille avoided overcutting or compromising the fabric’s integrity. Instead, she experimented with layering and joining techniques that maintained authenticity while adapting the cloth to contemporary ready-to-wear silhouettes. Each piece moves effortlessly between casual and refined, offering versatility while preserving cultural depth.

“I wanted to create a comfortable wardrobe that can be worn for different activities—relaxed, sporty, or more polished for the evening,” she explained. “Every garment is designed to stand alone or be layered, allowing modesty or ease depending on the wearer’s needs.” This approach reflects her commitment to dialogue between cultures, where Indonesian textiles converse with international aesthetics.

The challenge, she admitted, lay in reinterpreting fabrics rich with meaning without stripping them of their identity. By working within the constraints of songket’s fixed widths, she showcased the textiles almost as they are, allowing the fabric to dictate the design. The outcome is a wardrobe that embodies history and identity while embracing intercultural exchange.

Through Priscille’s journey, PINTU Incubator demonstrates its unique role as a fashion incubator: empowering designers to experiment, collaborate, and grow while highlighting Indonesia’s heritage in the global fashion business arena. The Residency Program is more than an exchange—it is a living bridge between tradition and innovation, showing how local crafts can inspire international creativity.

As her collection prepares to debut in Paris, Priscille’s work affirms that when fashion is nurtured through the right incubator program, it becomes more than style. It becomes a story of respect, resilience, and shared vision—woven into every thread.