Maker Series: A one-to-one with Karen from French Consul

French Consul is a beautiful linen homewares brand founded by the delightful Karen Miles. Taking inspiration from the French farmer’s grain sack stripe, French Consul takes us back to hand loomed textiles, nature-driven ideas and handcrafted artisan wares that honour history and provide luxurious comfort.

From cushion covers and tote bags to tea towels, table runners and more, French Consul homewares are made from 100% linen grown in France and woven in one of the last surviving family-run linen mills in Ireland. Each piece is then handsewn in Ireland or Australia.

Today Karen joins us to share her inspiration, artisan discoveries and her journey to creating a gorgeous linen homewares brand.

Let’s start from the beginning - what did you do before launching French Consul in 2018?

I was working as a magazine editor and there were actually a couple of factors that led me to make a change. Firstly, I really wasn't enjoying the difficult work environment coming from above. Plus, I knew the print industry was declining (in fact, my magazine folded one year after I left), so it was a good decision for me.

But the true catalyst was my dad passing away. When I went to pick up his ashes – that were in a Styrofoam box - I thought to myself, if this is how it ends, what am I doing with my life?

I then made the decision to quit my job and head to Paris.

How did your Paris trip change the course of your life?

Visiting this beautiful city was so uplifting. I joined a creative excursion run by Megan Morton, where I got to meet amazing makers and designers – people I wouldn’t normally have access to - and learnt all about their stories. I felt so inspired by them and by being around so many beautiful things.

I remember one particular designer in Lyon, who was in his 40’s and had left his corporate background to create these gorgeous lights. It showed me that it’s never too late, you can do anything!

Another moment that really stands out to me, was when I was sitting in the Palais-Royal Garden, looking out over the landscaped grounds toward the end of my trip. A girl asked me if I was okay and I responded with, “I don’t know how to take all this back to Australia with me”.

I knew I wanted to have more of this in my life.

What motivated you to then launch your linen homewares brand, French Consul?

Ironically, one of the things I’d always been searching for were cushions, or any kind of linen or tablecloths with the French grain sack stripe. I couldn’t find anything at all in Australia - grain sacks are really popular and the antique versions sell out very quickly.

I thought that there are probably lots of people who love the Provencal style. So, I decided to make some things, with the aim to wholesale them. But there was just one thing. Despite my Nan and Mum being beautiful seamstresses, I didn’t know how to sew.

I wasn’t going to let this stop me though. So, I began by making a mock-up of a tote bag… which actually broke Mum’s sewing machine needle because the fabric was too thick. 

So, I had to go to Plan B… find someone to make them for me.

Where did you start with sourcing your suppliers?

I began in France, but discovered quickly that there aren’t many linen mills in there; especially none that would deal with a small business like me. 

From here, I went down a rabbit hole, which actually led me to a number of mills in Ireland. I spoke to a few of them, one of which I really liked. 

The next step was to head over to Ireland to chat with the owners of the mill and see it for myself. They were (and still are) a great fit, plus they referred me to a sewing team in Ireland, who I still partner with today.

Tell us about the artisan nature of your manufacturing process

My linen is grown by farmers in northern France. The growing process is very sustainable, using minimal water. And the whole flax plant is able to be used – for linen, flax seeds, flax seed oil and more. While growing, the flax produces a blue flower (only for a short time) which is just beautiful. 

Once the flax is harvested, it’s then sent to Italy to be spun into yarn. From here it goes to a mill in Ireland.

This mill is a family-run small business that doesn’t mass produce any products. 

The looms they use are quite large and one thing I find really captivating is that every single linen thread is threaded onto the loom by hand. When you think about all the lines of thread in fabric, it’s amazing. 

Once the loom is threaded, the mill inputs my design into the machine’s computer, so that the coloured thread is automatically pulled into the loom to create my patterns.

Then, as the fabric comes off the loom, there are people personally checking the fabric, to ensure it is a really high quality. 

I love that the mill uses these traditional done-by-hand methods and they’re able to combine them with today’s technology to create beautiful linen.

And finally, I have a sewing team in both Australia and Ireland. Every French Consul piece is hand-cut and hand-sewn. The cutting is not done by machine or mass-production. 

I’m really pleased that I’m able to support a number of small businesses, particularly those that are female-led. This is really important to me.

Tell us about the learning curve involved in launching and running your own homewares brand

I first studied a course at the International School of Colour and Design in North Sydney. Here, I learnt how to put together a tech pack to send to the mill and how to work with manufacturers. 

I just learnt and learnt and learnt - and absorbed everything I possibly could. It was a fast learning curve, with  French Consul launching only six months after my initial trip to Paris.

In this time, I also had to learn how to wholesale. I started by contacting beautiful stores in Sydney and NSW that I already knew – then I expanded out from there.

I was very lucky – my products were very popular from the beginning. I found that Australians were really excited to be able to access my European linen.

And then, something extra special happened. A store in the UK contacted me, wanting to stock my products. The store was just around the corner from where my dad grew up, which carries a lot of meaning for me.

What does an average day look like for you?

When I started French Consul, I wanted more calm and beauty in my life. My brand really embodies this and my day-to-day reflects this too. I guess that what I wanted in my life is what I’ve created in my career.

That said, every day is pretty diverse. We’re now restoring a heritage house in Tasmania to Airbnb which is a really nice next step. The house will be fully decorated with my linen, so people can enjoy the whole French Consul experience. 

Tell us about your products – where it all started to where it is today

I started with three colourways - navy, white and French grey. I launched with six products - three cushion sizes, two tote bags and a tea towel. 

The collection has now expanded to include table runners and two new colours - noir, and red for Christmas - as well as a rustic linen range inspired by the 17th Century, when linen production officially began in Ireland.

What makes you unique compared to other homewares companies?

I genuinely care about quality. We’re not manufacturing in China and this is a very deliberate decision for me. If I’m going to do something worthwhile, it needs to be high quality – and European made. My heritage is European and I don’t believe the world needs any more badly made products.

French Consul’s flax (from which linen can be made) is certified as grown in France and our linen is certified as made in Ireland. We are the real deal. 

What is your favourite thing about your French Consul journey?

From the start, I’ve felt like this is where I’m meant to be, right now. Everything has flowed so beautifully.

I went from wanting something better in my life and quitting my job, to sitting in a garden in Paris wondering how do I bring this home with me, to creating a brand that I absolutely love.

What an incredibly inspiring journey - I’m so grateful to Karen for sharing her wonderful story with us. I love everything about the French Consul brand – from the traditional designs and high-quality materials to the artisanal making of each product. 

If you’re interested in purchasing these beautiful European linen homewares, take a look at the gorgeous range in our store.

Bec x