News

(above) Chandrnagor Organic Cotton French Luxury Bedding by Alexandre Turpault

Inspired by nature and traditional/transitional in style, Alexandre Turpault products for bed, bath and home are a solid investment, made of fabrics like linen and organic cotton that get better with use and age. Fans of this French line swear the items are timeless—things you might hand down in the family.

Quintessence Cotton Sateen French Luxury Bedding

Timeless? Yes, particularly by American standards. The firm’s deep roots sprouted in Cholet, France, southwest of Paris, a community known for its weavers. In 1697, none other than Louis XIV issued an official quality seal of linens for the town, recognizing the craftspeople. “The company was founded in 1847 by Alexandre Turpault—in Cholet,” explains Ruben Chacon, director of U.S. sales for the company. “Turpault was born into a family of weavers and made his first bedding products of linen, because flax was abundant in France and cotton was not yet widely available.”

An astute businessman, Turpault was first to use steam-driven engines to mechanize weaving processes and used vertical integration for his production, bringing together steps like thread dyeing and embroidery. While John Wanamaker of the Philadelphia department store lays claim to “inventing” the white sale in 1878, Turpault launched his version first. Always looking for ways to expand his business, Turpault formed an alliance with Aristide Boucicaut, founder of the department store Le Bon Marché, to promote household linen sales in January, a time when store traffic was down after Christmas—and a time, historically, when household linens (which were traditionally white) were washed and replaced. Thus, Turpault and Boucicaut’s  “Le Mois du Blanc” (the month of white) was born, in 1860.

Essentiel Organic Cotton Towels by Alexandre TurpaultEssentiel Organic Towels by Alexandre Turpault

“Alexandre Turpault products are still sold at Le Bon Marché today,” says Chacon, who explains that the company remained in the family until 1997, when it was bought by the Vanderschootens of Belgium, another family with generations of weaving history. The same year, Alexandre Turpault products became available in the United States. 

Today, you can choose from bedding (duvets, shams, fitted sheets, flat sheets, pillowcases), bath towels, beach towels, tablecloths, runners, napkins, placemats and accessories like throws, bed covers, accessory pillows and bathrobes, in a variety of soothing hues inspired by nature and patterns that take their cues from gardens, vintage prints and the Arts and Crafts movement. “The bedding is sized for the U.S. market,” Chacon notes, “and it is made to order, coming from France, with a lead time of three to four weeks.” 

Namaste Luxury French Bedding by Alexandre TurpaultNamaste Cotton Sateen French Luxury Bedding by Alexandre Turpault
The European Bestseller

Among the popular bedding collections are Chandernagor, inspired by the city in India; Namaste, the best-seller in Europe; and Canopée, a modern-day toile. Launched in 2021, Blossom is the newest collection, made of an  organic, printed cotton sateen, bearing a cheerful floral pattern. “Some of the bedding collections can also be customized,” Chacon points out.

And, even with the organic cotton bedding, the chic guest towels, the faux fur throws and the tablecloths fit for a festive dinner, you can still get Alexandre Turpault’s legacy line—linen bedding. Made of long flax fiber grown in France, the sheets, shams and pillow cases are virtually indestructible, allergy-free and have thermo-regulating qualities. And, like the company, they get better with age. 

The Alexandre Turpault Collection is available HERE.

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.