MEND ASSEMBLY’S FIRST RESIDENTIAL RETREAT!

A five day residential retreat, exploring wellbeing through individual and collective slow fashion practice.

Mend Assembly founder, Joss Whipple is creating a new space for slow fashion practice to emerge in partnership with a special venue partner in the south of France, La Belle Eco.

Come and join pioneering experts, local knowledge keepers, and every day slow fashion heroes for this carefully curated five day residency, designed to transform personal and collective connection through an exploration of traditional textiles skills, localised slow fashion excursions, daily wellbeing practice, group and individual reflective sessions using the universal lens of clothing and textiles.

WHAT is included?

Participants will choose a personal project to make inspired by customisable techniques, with a strong emphasis on hand work, using materials from an archive of exclusive vintage, reclaimed and sustainable materials, all selected from Joss’s private collection and personal sources.

There will be options for all skill levels.

Also included will be an exclusive resource pack of inspirational materials and guidance on how to adapt and apply Mend Assembly’s methodology to your own wardrobe and within your community.

The residency is all inclusive and hosted in the luxurious boutique hotel La Belle Eco

With space for up to 10 participants in beautiful art deco private or shared rooms with a range of prices. Participants will have access to all the facilities, including the natural swimming pool, the wood fired jacuzzi and sauna, the beautiful ancient woodland as well as the permaculture gardens that surround the house.

The resident chef at La Belle eco will be serving three meals a day using all local and organic ingredients.

In addition to one full day excursion, exploring local slow fashion initiatives, there will be optional daily wellbeing treatments and activities available on site.

WHY are we creating this space?

Big fashion combined with hyper speed digital culture is eroding our connection to the people, places and processes that bring us our clothing, alienating us from the ancient practice of sitting together and making. 

We want to support people, from all backgrounds, to reclaim the inspiration, joy and wellbeing that comes from the simple act of making and mending, in community with others. 

Our aim is to make space for the living memory of informal skill sharing so that participants can take these practices back into their own communities. 

Our retreats encourage, curiosity and collaboration, we believe that change can be accelerated by hands on practice and that the age old action of making with shared  intention is a powerful form of personal development and collective resistance.

WHO is this residency for?

We welcome anyone seeking practical ways to develop a personal or professional slow fashion practice as an extension to emerging or existing slow living or social wellbeing choices.

Whether you are right at the start of your journey or well along the way, you will be supported to deepen your perspective, connect, collaborate and create.

Maybe you feel confident in the wellbeing practice in most areas of your life, but your wardrobe is one area you haven’t managed to tackle? Perhaps you have noticed a gap in your local area and you want to learn ways to create an informal slow fashion offering of your own.

Or perhaps you’re simply ready to explore and develop new skills that offer deeper connection to clothing craft.

If you feel disconnected from materials, processes and people, or you’re feeling disillusioned and overwhelmed by the volume of clothing and other stuff everywhere and you’re confused about how to apply your values to your personal wardrobe, your local community or your work in fashion, this residency is designed for you. 

WHO will be leading ?

The retreat will be led by Mend Assembly founder, sustainable materials expert and slow fashion pioneer, Jocelyn Whipple.

In creating this new space for you, Joss brings over twenty years of experience and combines her passions as a maker, mentor and fashion wellness facilitator. 

There will also be other, carefully selected, specialist guest practitioners, offering craft, sustainable materials and clothing care activities and insights during the retreat. 

In addition there will be professional wellness practitioners available for daily private or group activities. 

Guest Practitioners

We will have three very special guest practitioners joining us during the retreat offering thier specialists insights. You can find out more about them on thier websites and social media links below.

Liz Cooke- Textile artist, flag maker, Stitch Department co - founder, Mindfullness practitioner.

Caitriana MacDonald - Founder of Curating Colour, personal style and colour expert, creative and sustainability advocate, long time resident of southern France.

Paola Pardo - Founder of Sacre Amour embroidery, creative workshop leader, embroidery as a medium for social and personal wellbeing.

WHAT will we be doing?

During the residential, participants will be immersed into a daily rhythm of materials exploration and learning, mindful sewing practice, formal and informal group discourse, curated excursions to slow fashion initiatives such as spinners, vintage retailers, makers and circular fashion projects. 

DAY 1 - Project Selection, deciding on the materials and techniques you will work with and what you want to make.

DAY 2 - Mindful Making, guided sessions in the studio using the techniques you have chosen to make your special piece.

DAY 3 - In The Field, a day long excursion to local slow fashion places projects and places of interest. Meeting special guest experts

DAY 4 - Care and Repair, a day of developing care and repair practice, meeting special guest experts.

DAY 5 - Clothing for life, a final day of celebration and satisfaction, centering the pieces that have been made.

Ease, connection and celebration of our own and each other’s process will set the tone.

The pace of each day will be nourishing with space for exploration through quiet focused practice as well through inspiring group sessions and informal knowledge sharing. 

Every day will be punctuated by delicious meals, wellness hours and shared experience. 

WHAT will you come away with  ?

The purpose of this retreat is to create a third space for individual and collective slow living development through the lens of clothing and textiles. 

People who come on this retreat will take away a finished piece which they will make using traditional hand sewing techniques, natural materials and slow design principles. 

They will also take away inspiration, practical guidance and a personalised toolkit on how to apply Mend Assembly’s methodology in their own local communities. 

Many exciting new relationships and connections will be made, supporting a refreshed perspective and a new relationship to clothing product and a renewed sense of belonging to the global slow fashion and sustainable craft movement.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

A five day residential retreat, minimum attendance 5 maximum 10.

Dates

April 21st - 25th 2025

Prices:

Luxury suite single occupancy - £3750 Early bird £3500

Luxury suite double occupancy - £6250 Early bird £5750

Luxury double single occupancy - £3250 Early bird £2400

Luxury double shared occupancy - £5750 Early bird £5250

Standard Double single occupancy - £3100 Early bird £2850

10% Early bird offer ends February 10th

30% deposit required on booking / 70% balance payment due March 1st 2025

What’s included

Included in the ticket prices are the full 5 day program of activities, including one excursion day, rooms and access to the hotel amenities, 3 meals a day cooked by the in house chef. Some group well being activities will be included.

Whats not included

Travel to and from the retreat ( airport or train pick ups can be arranged)

Wine is not included with the meals but can be purchased by the glass using the in house honesty bar.

Massage and other individual wellbeing treatments can be booked as required in addition.

Nearest airports

Carcassone - 20 minutes by car

Toulouse - 1 hour by car

Bezier - 1.15 hours by car

Perpignan - 1.5 hours by car

Trains

Bram - 5 mins by car

Carcasonne - 20 minutes by car

ROOMS

La Belle Eco offers 3 different room types, all room prices are included in the ticket price and are for 5 nights (arriving Sunday 20th, check out Friday 25th)

Luxury suites; Miel, Flora & La Merais - Spacious rooms with Super kings size beds, Miel has an en suite bathroom and private lounge room, Flora has a private shower rooms and extra lounge space, La Marais has private shower room, extra living space, and a beautiful private terrace in the trees. Le Marais can be shared.

Luxury Doubles - Opium & Etoile - Large double beds with en suite bath or shower rooms. Opium can be made up as a twin room to be shared.

Standard Doubles - St. Germain, Monmartre, Lavande & Indigo. Large double beds with shared bathrooms.