Monique Lallier Master Bookbinder

Monique Lallier is known for her creative and thoughtful approaches to the subjects of her binding projects. Her use of unusual materials such as eggshells, pewter, colorful wires, agates, lizard and snakeskin — even her own hair — and innovative techniques including cutouts, reveals, pop-ups and moveable parts make her bindings both distinctive and dynamic. Her binding of My Antonia by Willa Cather won a Best Binding award in an international exhibition at the Chicago Public Library in 2006. Her 2016 binding of Pantagruel was awarded a Silver Prize at the International Competition of Designer Bookbinders.

Lallier supplies entertaining descriptions of the bindings from the maker’s perspective, telling brief stories of projects and processes. Each binding is illustrated with expert color photographs, often from several angles and in various states of openness and closure. The variety of design, material, and techniques make for a surprise on every page and an extraordinary collective impression.

Monique Lallier has served as director of the American Academy of Bookbinding and president of the Association des Relieurs du Quebec. In 2010 the Guild of Book Workers (New York) presented her with the Laura Young award for service as Chair of the Standards of Excellence annual conference from 1988 to 2000. She is married to the British binder and conservator Don Etherington.