Chloé Bensahel

Obsession 

For ‘Obsession’, Chloé Bensahel designed a large-scale textile scenography in which repetition, light, and movement take centre stage. The set consists of six open-grid curtains made from passementerie cords, featuring a colour gradient from deep black to metallic tones. Bensahel created the curtains from glossy, flame-retardant yarns with a distinctive light-reflective quality. Variations in thickness gave the curtains a strong spatial presence. During the performance, LED lights illuminated the metallic threads, causing the textiles to actively respond to the music and movement on stage. 

For the TextielLab, producing the cords for the curtains was an exceptional commission. With 1,783 metres of braided cord, it was the largest passementerie project ever realised at the lab. The set comprised four curtains measuring 7.5 by 4.5 metres and two measuring 8.5 by 5.5 metres, complemented by two lamps, each made up of 32 components, with matching cords and decorative tassels in the same colour gradient. The performance runs from 25 September 2025 to 31 March 2026 and can be seen in venues including Paris and Lyon. 

Photography by François le Guen and Denis Allard