The history of silk production in Lyon involves the study of all the key players in the silk industry in Lyon. Over time, Lyon’s silk sector has encompassed every stage of producing and selling silk fabric from raw silk: spinning, creating patterns, weaving, finishing, and marketing. Collectively, this sector is referred to as the "Fabrique." This history, spanning five centuries, originated on the banks of the Saône River during the Renaissance period. Fairs at this location facilitated the settlement of fabric merchants. The first weavers settled in Lyon under the auspices of a royal decree by King Francis I, and they rapidly prospered. However, this initial industrial momentum was interrupted by the Wars of Religion. In the early 17th century, the invention of the drawloom enabled the Fabrique to master patterned fabrics. Its European expansion began during the reign of Louis XIV, as the fashions of the Versailles court set trends for all other European courts, propelling Lyon’s silk industry into prominence. During the 18th century, Lyon’s silk producers maintained their position through constant technical innovations, high-quality designers, and ongoing stylistic creativity. The French Revolution dealt a severe blow to the Fabrique, but Napoleon strongly supported the sector, which peaked during the 19th century. Lyon became the global capital of silk, outpacing all other European silk industries and exporting a wide range of fabrics worldwide. Under the Second Empire, it was France’s most powerful export industry. Although the first challenges arose in the 1880s, the advent of artificial textiles eventually ended Lyon’s industrial silk production in the 20th century. Traditional manufacturers struggled to adapt or did so too late. The silk industry collapsed in the 1930s, and despite numerous attempts at revival after World War II, the city’s activity became limited to haute couture and the restoration of antique fabrics.
Silk before it arrived in Lyon
Chinese origins The technique of producing silk thread from silkworm cocoons was discovered in China during the Shang dynasty (17th–11th century BCE). For a long time, silk production remained a Chinese monopoly, with the Roman Empire importing it at great expense until the 6th century CE. According to legend, monks sent by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I smuggled silkworm eggs into Europe.
Introduction in Europe
Silk has been present in Europe since the 4th century, originating in the Byzantine world. The silk weaving technique was later transmitted to the Muslim civilization, where it flourished during the Middle Ages. Through this channel, silk weaving was introduced into the medieval Christian world. When Roger of Hauteville conquered Muslim Sicily in the latter half of the 11th century, he partially preserved its culture, giving rise to a unique civilization known as Norman Sicily. A notable artifact of this cultural transmission is the coronation mantle of Roger II, King of Sicily, made of embroidered silk. Until the 13th century, silk weaving in Christian Europe was confined to Sicily and Calabria, before spreading to Lucca, Venice, and other Italian cities. Another significant transmission route was Muslim Spain, gradually reconquered by Christians over several centuries. Despite this, the technical and artistic contributions of the Muslim world were significant, as evidenced by typical Spanish motifs reproduced in Italian cities.
The Renaissance: the birth of the fabrique Silk manufacturing in Lyon emerged during the Renaissance. Benefiting from a highly favorable environment created by trade fairs, significant freedom in organizing the craft, and the regular presence of monarchs, the silk industry grew rapidly. It reached its first golden age under the reign of Henry II before experiencing a severe crisis during the Wars of Religion.
Initial attempts
During the 15th century, Lyon became a significant trading hub, with Charles VII granting the city the right to hold two tax-free fairs. These grew to three and then four annually by 1463, becoming key events in European Renaissance commerce. Among other goods, many silks—primarily from Italy—were traded. To curb the outflow of funds caused by the French elite’s insatiable demand for foreign silk, Louis XI sought to establish a silk manufacturing industry in Lyon. By the ordinance of November 23, 1466, he urged Lyon’s bourgeoisie to finance workshops. However, the merchants hesitated, not wanting to disrupt their relationships with Italian trade partners. The few workers who settled in Lyon were later sent to Tours, to the Château de Plessis-lès-Tours, in 1470. This refusal by Lyonnais merchants can also be explained by economic conditions that seemed unfavorable for such an industry at the time. The local workforce was insufficient to enable low-cost production, and the profits from simply trading silk were comparatively certain and consistent. Italian silk merchants were essential to the success of the emerging fairs, and supporting the creation of an industry that would compete with their home cities risked driving them away. It was the transformation of these circumstances that, around fifty years later, allowed for the true establishment of Lyon's silk industry. In the meantime, a merchant from Lucca, Nicolas de Guide, attempted to weave silk in Lyon in 1514. However, he was violently opposed by his compatriots, who accused him of competing with his city. Lacking support from the consulate, he ultimately abandoned his efforts.
Turquet and Naris: the birth of Lyon’s silk industry In 1536, Étienne Turquet and Barthélemy Naris, Piedmontese merchants established in Lyon, sought to create factories for the production of precious fabrics. Through royal letters patent, King Francis I granted them the same privileges as those in the city of Tours, thereby establishing the guild of workers in “cloths of gold, silver, and silk.” Turquet, Naris, and their workers were exempted from all taxes, guard duties, and militia service, on the condition that they worked within the city and not outside it. Turquet founded the “Fabrique Lyonnaise de Soierie” with the help of Lyonnais bourgeois such as the Senneton brothers and bankers like Camus, La Porte, and Faure. He also brought in workers from Avignon and Genoa.
The immediate rise of the silk industry
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
