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 Considered one of the most exquisite yarns in the world, Anny Blatt features complex Parisian designs crafted in breathtaking colors and textures. Europeans have long been enamored of Anny Blatt fashions since the company’s founder, Anny herself, began to create summer styles for wealthy vacationers in Deauville, France in the early part of the last century. That is also where Coco Chanel launched her career.
Urged by her upscale clientele to expand her business, Anny moved to Paris where the support of her fashion-conscious customers enabled her to produce what have become some of the most respected yarns and patterns on the continent.
In 1991, the Anny Blatt brand was purchased by the Pierre de Loye group that owns another luxury yarn line, Bouton d’Or.
Most Anny Blatt and Bouton d'Or patterns tend to be highly sophisticated, and fairly advanced, so they appeal to the experienced knitter with exquisite taste. Yet there are also many attractive patterns for the beginners or intermediate knitters. New Collections are released in books four times each year.
Last autumn, Knitch Magazine traveled to visit one of the flagship stores in Paris and then to the main factory outside the city of Serignan du Comtat in Provence.
 The Paris store is located on one of the fashionable boulevards in the heart of the city. It’s a little difficult to find because it’s located on the second floor above another small shop. But once you climb the stairs and are struck by the expansive array of spectacularly luxurious yarns, you know your trip was well worth the effort.
The manager of the shop, Madame Fabienne Gosse, has created a display of colors that is magnificent in presentation. The shop isn’t large, but you soon realize that there is more temptation per square meter than ought to be permitted by law. The shop is decorated with samples of garments that look almost too elegant to touch. And there are a couple of displays of kits for garments, and some much-coveted sale items.
Madame Gosse is very active with her carriage trade clientele, and regularly holds events at one of the nearby hotels. She told us she recently hosted a group knitting trip to Russia and is planning one to the US.
Our hostess was kind enough to share information about the trends in Europe: which fashions and yarns appeal to classic French tastes. They are somewhat different from what we are currently seeing in North America – trending toward the more classic and refined -- but we’ve noticed that it can take a year or two for European styles to be accepted here.
After presenting us with her vast array of exquisite yarns and designs, Madame Gosse took us across the street to Tiboodoo, the store that sells ready-knit and custom-ordered Anny Blatt and Bouton d'Or patterns.
 These garments are not only timeless in design, they're made with exceptionally high quality fibers, so they become heirlooms that are handed down from generation to generation. We were truly impressed with the garments we saw at Tiboodoo, and thought that discerning North American shoppers would be delighted to have a store that created such sophisticated designs, to order if desired, in such magnificent fibers.
After spending a couple of hours admiring the Anny Blatt and Bouton d’Or lines, we looked forward to our travels to the south of France to visit the Pierre de Loye factory where these gorgeous yarns are created. We boarded the high-speed TGV train to Avignon where we rented a car so we could drive toward Serignan du Comtat, into the countryside where the factory has been located since 1770.
To put it into perspective, the factory that makes these yarns is six years older than the United States.
Pierre de Loye owns two main factories: a spinning mill that manufactures the majority of the yarns available, and a dyeing house, both in Sérignan du Comtat. We visited the main factory that also houses the head offices…after becoming quite lost in the French countryside. Again, we discovered that persistence pays off.
Our friend, and the gentleman responsible for Anny Blatt in North America, Jean-Christophe Tarazona, had arranged for us to meet with Brigitte Dumont, in charge of major clients, and Patrick Testaniere, the CEO of Anny Blatt. After walking through a courtyard in which several village pussycats were sunning themselves, we entered a building where we were greeted by the corporate dog, a very sweet animal who accompanied us on our tour.
We were presented with the wool roving as it arrives from throughout the world, and were able to feel the unmistakable quality of the fibers. Only the softest angora, finest linen, and best quality sheep's wool from Australia and South Africa are considered good enough for this yarn company – a company that ferociously protects its reputation for the best quality products. We observed the carding machines and spinning machines in action as women bustled about the factory overseeing every step of the process. We watched as the fibers were spun into plies that were then spun into the gorgeous yarns that Anny Blatt and Bouton d'Or are famous for.
 As we observed the process – from carding to dyeing, spinning and packing – we were struck by the meticulous attention to detail and the commitment to excellence that is so important to Brigitte and Patrick. From the acquisition of superior quality fibers to their “green” manufacturing process, nothing is left to chance. To further enhance their brands, the Pierre de Loye company insists on an extraordinarily elegant presentation. Before they ship to yarn boutiques worldwide, the skeins of yarn are neatly labeled and packed into pretty boxes with tissue paper. Everything is richly luxurious...and decidedly French.
Most of the yarns and patterns from this company are not for the uninspired. They are complex – often intricate – designs crafted in yarns that are worth an investment. These are classic, yet stylish garments, that would be the most dramatic signature piece in any woman’s wardrobe…to be worn and cherished for many years to come.
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