The team at Rouge have a diverse range of interests outside work, not least one of our event coordinators Sheena, who recently forayed into the world of the éventailliste (that’s fan-maker to you and I).

On the first Saturday of every month, The Fan Museum in Greenwich, home to a collection of over 3,500 fans, holds small fan making workshops where, in the comfortable surroundings of the Orangery, you are taught how to make two folding fans. 

Last Sunday however, the Museum held a special workshop led by the creative genius behind the Museum’s current exhibition ‘Air à La Mode’, Sylvain Le Guen. ‘Air à La Mode’ features a stunning selection of Le Guen’s ingenious designs including a collaboration between Le Guen and the perfumer, Francis Krukdjan with whom he created a gorgeous scented fan constructed of perfume-soaked mouillettes (perfume test papers).

After a tour of the exhibition, and helped along by some afternoon tea, Sylvain Le Guen showed Sheena the techniques needed to create his unusual pop-up 3D fans. The majority of fans produced are 2D but, by incorporating Origami techniques, Le Guen is able to create his stunning 3D designs.

With Christmas just around the corner and one more fan workshop to come this year, we recommend booking a workshop and learning how to make your very own fans which we think will make excellent Christmas gifts. 

The exhibition, ‘Air à La Mode’, is showing until 13th November so to make sure that you don’t miss your opportunity to view this unique collection, hurry along to Greenwich this weekend. Details of fan making workshops and the exhibition can be found on The Fan Museum’s website: http://www.thefanmuseum.org.uk/.