A Maker Worth Meeting – Louise De Vignoles

Meet the Maker – Louise De Vignoles

Louise-De-Vignoles---Atelier-copy — Louise De Vignoles – Atelier

The wheels for De Vignoles Atelier were set in motion many moons ago, born out of a hobby for craft & a love of floral fragrances. Michael Vignoles was a young man and worked very hard to support his wife & 5 children. Michael’s own original family came from an area in France near Provence and he remembered fondly many summer afternoons traipsing through fields of lavender on his grandparent’s land and the aromas that filled the air. This he claims set him sail on his passion for fragrance. Curious and capable Michael set about making a homemade wax candle. He melted his wax among other components in a slow old fashioned double boiler on the cooker in his wife’s kitchen, much to her amusement. The candles were poured with the use of a solid copper pitcher which the Vignoles family still have to this day and is still in use!! Michael used old oil lamp wick to get a flame for his candles & even though the scent was beautiful he only ever made five different candle fragrances lavender, rosa-geranium, geranium, patchouli and plain rose. He liked to stick to the floral base and he made a unique formula to ensure that each candle burned equally. Even though highly scented candles back in 1927 were somewhat a rarity, Michael loved creating his aromas & blends from a make shift shed in the back garden. He had rose bushes in abundance and made a really beautiful geranium and rose blend from cold pressing his own home grown flowers. Unfortunately for Michael his candles never took off. Money was tighter in those days & small mouths had to be fed. This however did not stop Michael experimenting & passing his experience down to his children. His son Michael Junior is a highly skilled and sought after instrument maker, making bodhran & uillean pipes. Michael is also a very talented musician. Craft is simply in the blood.

Fast forward to 2014 and De Vignoles Atelier has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Louise who is the owner of De Vignoles Atelier, in keeping with tradition has penned a poem for each candle fragrance. The De Vignoles family grew up on a healthy diet of poetry & music, so it seemed fitting to keep this theme going through the candle line. Each poem is unique to each candle scent. Every candle is personal from start to finish. No mass production. All hand poured and finished. Old fashioned methods mixed with some new romantic poetry. Perfect.