196 Flags for a Shared Story
Published on 17 August 2026
With La Re-prise de la Bastille, created in partnership with Le Festival du Monde and Refashion, artists Claire Renard and Jean-Sébastien Blanc transform discarded garments into a monumental artwork: 196 unique flags—the 195 flags of the UN Member and Observer States, alongside a white flag—serving as powerful symbols of cultures, memories, and the bonds that unite people across the world.
La Re-prise de la Bastille : 196 Flags Woven with Stories
For Paris Design Week, Place de la Bastille is transformed into an open-air manifesto. With La Re-prise de la Bastille, artists and designers Claire Renard and Jean-Sébastien Blanc, in partnership with Le Festival du Monde and Refashion, transform this symbol of freedom into a space for dialogue and reflection on peace.
Encircling the July Column are 196 flags: those representing the 195 UN Member and Observer States, alongside a single white flag. Each one is crafted from discarded garments collected from Refashion’s partner collectors; when assembled, these pieces of fabric tell the story of a culture, a memory, and a history, and offer a sensory map of the world.
By giving textiles a second life, the installation celebrates reuse and reminds us that what we think is worn out can become a work of art. More than just a monumental work of art, La Re-prise de la Bastille invites us to reflect on sustainable fashion and to see things differently.
On 19 September, Le Festival du Monde will host a talk with the designers and Refashion, along with a curated design walk on the forecourt of Le Monde newspaper.
At the close of the exhibition, each of the 196 flags will be auctioned on Drouot.com, extending the life of this collective artwork, where design, art, and social commitment are woven into a shared narrative.