"Artistic Apparel" article in the Life & Style Magazine 2018
In the search for a unique addition to your wardrobe, in a world full of mass produced clothing, look no further than Andrea LeBeau designs. Offering handmade, one of a kind pieces of fine apparel, LeBeau uses her unparalleled artistry to create breathtaking tunics, shawls, scarves, and dresses for women XXX.
One distinct advantage LeBeau has as a fashion designer is her prowess as a painter. The pieces of clothing she meticulously crafts by hand, in her quest to express herself and create beautiful items, are almost like paintings themselves. By using the finest natural materials available, including silk chiffon, Merino wool, and bamboo silk, the lifelong artist uses the process of fusion felting to recreate her paintings of flowers on the canvas of fabric.
“I can create the same piece but it won’t ever be completely the same because of the artistic touch. It’s like a painting. You can’t create two paintings the same way. It will be always be one of a kind with each piece,” said LeBeau.
A native of Budapest, Hungary, LeBeau has lived in Carbondale since 2007 and began creating her now popular creations in 2009. With her background as a painter, the progression into fashion design came naturally after she discovered the art form of fusion felting.
“I was back home in my country in Budapest. I like to stroll through artisan markets and I saw this medium and I fell in love with it right there. I just decided I needed to try it and do it and express myself with it,” remembered LeBeau.
The process of felting, a practice more than three thousand years old, involves the application of heat, moisture, and pressure to apply layers of wool onto a flat piece of fabric.
“My felting process is different because I concentrate more on silk than on wool. The concept of light and heavy. It’s delicate and durable and empowering and strong. It’s like the quality of women, we’re delicate but also we’re strong,” shared LeBeau.
The benefits of the materials used in LeBeau’s pieces are numerous. While luxuriously soft and breathable, LeBeau’s items are also washable and keep you both warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Besides being functional, each item is unique and stunning, and has a timeless appeal.
“Every woman deserves to be unique and every woman deserves to be beautiful. It doesn’t matter what age and what shape of the body we have. Surround yourself with beautiful things and your life will be more meaningful,” said LeBeau.