Lu Flux: The Art of the Smock
In a studio in the Kent countryside, lengths of vintage and naturally dyed cloth are cut, pleated, and stitched by hand, guided by techniques that have endured for generations. Here, smock maker and designer Lu Flux transforms humble materials into garments that echo historic workwear and domestic sewing traditions. This spring, Selvedge welcomes Flux for a series of online sessions, offering participants the chance to explore these enduring techniques in a supportive, studio-style setting.
Lu Flux, Wedding dress. Sandwashed silk, smocked and hand embroidered with a family portrait collar, and english smocking on the chest, arms and cuffs.
The programme begins with an online talk, Meet Lu Flux, on Wednesday 11 March 2026, 2 - 5pm GMT. Part studio visit, part conversation, the session offers a glimpse into the path that led Flux from the fashion studio to a practice rooted in handwork. The talk concludes with a live Q&A, inviting participants to ask their own questions about materials, techniques, and heritage craft today.
Lu Flux, detail from the magnolia smock blouse. Made in linen with hand embroidered magnolia flowers, dorset button and hand smocking.
In late May, the focus shifts from listening to making with Smocking & Dorset Button Making with Lu Flux, on Saturday 23 & 30 May 2026, 2 - 5pm BST. During this two-part workshop, participants will create a hand-stitched linen pouch while learning the fundamentals of these enduring techniques.
Smocking pink linen at the studio table.
The first session introduces pleating and smocking, as linen is marked, gathered, and stitched into structured folds. Flux offers guidance on tension, pattern placement, and finding a steady rhythm with the needle. By the end of the session, the pouch begins to take shape.
In the second session, attention turns to closures. Participants learn the history and structure of Dorset buttons before weaving their own and pairing them with hand-stitched loop fastenings to complete the pouch.
A Dorset button up close, made by Lu Flux.
Suitable for beginners to intermediate stitchers, the workshop offers an accessible introduction to two historic techniques while building confidence in hand sewing.
Patchwork, quilting, smocking, and hand embroidery shape each of Flux's pieces, celebrating the ingenuity of age-old British craft practices. With more than two decades’ experience in fashion and textile craft, Flux creates unique, feminine, and wearable garments, each one hand-cut from vintage, organic, or naturally dyed cloth and finished by hand in her studio. Her practice centres on slow, considered making and the preservation of traditional skills.
As the workshops approach, we look back to Selvedge Issue 53, Equatorial, and a feature on Lu Flux that captures the spirit of her craft and the stories stitched into every garment. The article traces her journey from the fashion world to a slower, more personal practice shaped by traditional techniques, treasured fabrics, and a deep respect for handwork:
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Further Information:
Find out more about the Selvedge events featuring Lu Flux:
Meet Lu Flux, Wednesday 11 March 2026, 2 - 5pm GMT: Meet Lu Flux
Smocking & Dorset Button Making with Lu Flux, Saturday 23 & 30 May 2026, 2 - 5pm BST
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Image Credits:
Lead: Portrait of Lu Flux. Image credit: Caroline Irby
All further images courtesy of Lu Flux