was born in 1955 in Saint-Affrique in the South West of France. In the mid-70s, he decided to move to Lyon to study textile engineering.
Thanks to various experiences within renowned companies in the silk industry in Lyon, Didier Benaud acquired the skills and knowledge that made him an expert in textile design, production and trade.
Didier Benaud founds BENAUD Creations. Modeled on the Silk Industry in Lyon Didier Benaud will forge a long-lasting relationship, based on and respect, with his suppliers and contractors.
In collaboration with a regional weaver, he creates specific fabrics to develop its first Moire fabrics.
Moire becomes the heart of the company’s business. The first Moire collections are mainly sold to French editors, including Maison Manuel Canovas and Maison Lelièvre who would become major customers of BENAUD Creations.
Didier Benaud modernises the Moire fabric. La Maison Boussac sells these contemporary Moires with a good value for money ratio and it becomes a significant commercial success.
La Maison develops ranges of “Moire Musique” with exclusive designs for haute couture, ready-to-wear and lining for luxury leather goods. Fabrics are then developed for Christian Lacroix, Gucci, Jean Paul Gaultier, or even Vivienne Westwood.
BENAUD exports its expertise on home decoration to Belgium and Italy. The creation of a free Moire flocked ribbon design for Dedar became a reference model in this market!
In 1996, la Maison BENAUD develops plain Moire, and special finishings such as flocked linens, cork applications in collaboration with major American editos and distributors among which are Clarence House, Donghia, Kirk Brumel, Kravet and Robert Allen.
Meanwhile, with the help of two students from the Ecole Centrale de Lyon, BENAUD wins the first prize in the ITECH contest where the purpose of the study is “La Moire Musique”.
In 1997, the company has five employees.
La Maison BENAUD is then recognised at European level, as being able to design innovative plain fabrics with high potential.
La Maison BENAUD creates different collections of washable flame retardant Moires in Trevira CS. These technical and aesthetic fabrics are widely used in hotels.
By this time, the company has ten employees, thus strengthening its weaving and quality control department. It moves to a more spacious and functional office at 101 rue Bossuet, Lyon.
Initiated by Dedar and its Moire design with flock application, flocking becomes a compulsory figure in decoration. BENAUD develops numerous exclusive collections for editors and expands its market to England, including Osborne and Little and Designers Guild.
EXPORTING THE MOIRE
Franck Benaud joins the family business after studying Sales Management and forming various partnerships abroad in textile companies.
BENAUD opens up to the Japanese market by developing new collections through working closely with one of the largest Japanese distributors-editors, Sangetsu. With this collaboration, new products are presented annually at the “Maison et Objet éditeurs” exhibition. 60% of the company’s activity is now dedicated to export.
BENAUD develops several laminated textile collections in collaboration with Arte International – the Belgian leader in the manufacture and distribution of wallpapers. These collections become increasingly widespread.
This same year, BENAUD wins the “Classe Export” award in the textile category, for best expansion in exports.
Over the seasons, collaborations in Ready-to-wear range continue to grow. In Italy, Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Prada and Moschino, use BENAUD’s Moire fabrics in their Ready-to-wear collection.
BENAUD strengthens its creative team with a young textile designer, to keep on developing more advanced and innovative collections.
Involved in the future of the textile industry, the company becomes a shareholder in regional dyers.
La Maison BENAUD today wishes to deepen and expand its collaborations with key players of contemporary art and design to make people have a new perception on the expertise of the Rhone Alpine industry. These fabrics continue to decorate rooms, to enhance indoor space, and to dress fashion and leather goods. BENAUD participates in the development of innovative products: these made up materials adorn bottles of Champagne, flow into the resin with transparency and light, or are used to make boxes for jewelry and perfume, and decorates exceptional display windows.