Lyon, Silk and a Family Legacy

The history of Lyon is inseparable from that of silk. From the Renaissance onwards, the city became a major centre for silk trade and weaving thanks to its strategic position between Italy and the rest of Europe. In 1536, King François I of France granted Lyon the monopoly on silk imports into France, fostering the growth of an industry that would bring the city international renown. During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, Lyon’s silk industry flourished and gained worldwide recognition. In La Croix-Rousse, the canuts (silk weavers) produced luxurious fabrics for royal courts and leading European fashion houses. Despite periods of crisis caused by international competition, mechanisation and the emergence of synthetic fibres, Lyon has preserved and reinvented its expertise through innovation and the production of high-quality textiles.

This collective history is closely intertwined with that of the Varenne family. In 1875, at the age of fifteen, George Varenne began his career as an employee at Lyon’s silk brokerage office. He later became Export Manager, travelling extensively around the world before founding his own textile company in 1890, the predecessor of Soieries Varenne. More than a century later, Virginie and Philibert continue this family adventure. Manufacturers of fabrics, scarves and silk accessories for French and international fashion houses, they carry forward Lyon’s silk-making tradition while adapting it to the modern world. Since 2004, they have also managed the Maison des Canuts, helping to share with the public the history, techniques and living memory of this unique heritage.