Zandra Rhodes, the daughter of a fitter for a Parisian fashion house, was born and raised in England. Her specialization was printed textile design while studying at the Royal College of Art in London. Traditional British manufacturers deemed her rule-breaking bold prints and colours to be unconventional. She opened a shop with her partner Sylvia Ayton, called Fulham Road Clothes and started making dresses from her own printed fabric designs.
Read MoreIn the very first edition of The Textile Eye, we covered the 2018-2019 exhibition entitled Yves Saint Laurent: Dreams of the Orient at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, which I had the pleasure of seeing while in Paris for Maison et Objet and Paris Deco Off 2019.
The show brought together approximately fifty haute couture designs inspired by India, China and Japan. These pieces from the collection of the Museum were displayed in dialogue with Asian artworks borrowed from the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet, and private collectors, creating a show rich in texture, color, and culture.
Read MoreReport 13 cover star Lison de Caunes – granddaughter of Art Deco master André Groult – tells The Textile Eye about growing up in her acclaimed grandfather’s design studio, reviving straw marquetry savoir faire, and why the material is so popular for furniture and interiors today.
Read MoreGet a preview of all the best new insights and inspirations from Maison et Objet and Paris Deco Off, pulled from our exclusive trend book Report 13: Paris in Spring. The full 200 page report is a comprehensive resource, including seven visual themes, key colors in easy-to-use palettes complete with HEX references, Q&As with top practitioners of French savoir-faire and an inspiring look at the Yves Saint-Laurent exhibitions that took over the museums of Paris.
Read MoreThe fantastic floral silks of a prolific English pattern designer.
Born on this day in 1688 in Hartston, Leicestershire to a reverend and his wife, Anna Maria Garthwaite became one of the most famous English designers of her time. The fine silk designs of Anna Maria Garthwaite–when I have been lucky enough to see them in museums like the Victoria & Albert Museum– give me so much pleasure in their balanced, delicate renderings of flora and masterful use of color.
Read MoreAfter being postponed from April 2020, Milan Design Week’s Fuorisalone and a special edition of Salone del Mobile brought fresh ideas and excitement.
The work of Suzie Zuzek (1920-2011) received some well-deserved attention this past year. A beautiful monograph, “Suzie Zuzek for Lilly Pulitzer: The Artist Behind an Iconic American Fashion Brand, 1962-1985”, a solo show at the Cooper Hewitt, and a stellar presentation by Susan Brown, Associate Curator of Textiles at the Cooper Hewitt and co-author of the book, all shed light on Suzie’s beautiful but little-known work.
Read MoreSince 1993, Proposte Fair has been an indispensable trade show for the high-end, home furnishings textile industry. By now, I have lost count of how many times I have walked the halls of Proposte looking for the perfect textile for this collection or that project. I first visited early on in my career when I worked at Schumacher, and I’ve never stopped feeling like a kid in a candy store.
Read MoreIn the Fall 2021 - Staying Power edition we ask: What defines iconic American design, and what will define it tomorrow? The pandemic’s new way of life has ignited nostalgic interest in tried-and-true favorites, dovetailed with fresh interpretations.
Read MoreNature has been the great Muse for centuries, and it is no less impactful today. Pattern designers turn to the natural world for inspiration, with current renditions offering personal and textural takes on trees, leaves, landscapes, and waterscapes. Pratt Institute-trained painter Alex Mason is no exception to the call of the wild. The result is Ferrick Mason, a hand-rendered fabric and wallpaper line full of graphic, abstract repeats and references to sinuous flora and fauna. The brand graces the cover of Staying Power: Iconic American Designs of Today and Tomorrow, with an interview in the “The New Naturalists” theme.
But Alex Mason wasn’t always in full bloom.
Read MoreThe beauty of handcrafted objects of the highest quality has always been appreciated by interior designers—and is more appealing than ever to end consumers eager for a break from mass-production and tech. While the appreciation for the handcrafted has waxed and waned in the US, Mexico never strayed from the commitment to hand craft. Building on deep roots, Mexican designers like Caralarga are forging a new tradition of sublimely modern and socially responsible design.
Read MoreTwo quintessentially French brands were the natural choice for our Report 8: Very Paris cover. Manufacture Prelle and Passementerie Verrier Paris - each with over 250 years of French production- represent the crème de la crème. And they have a unique way of working together that highlights their expertise. Get to know these luxurious cover stars!
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