Happy birthday to the one and only Paul Poiret, the couturier, artist, iconoclast, and host extraordinaire who surely deserves his place as the greatest figure in the pre-World War I fashion world. Poiret's impressive vision of lush fabrics, rich colors, and bold prints created maximalist and joyful looks that continue to inspire designers and fashion lovers today. Despite his enormous success, he was unable to hold onto his fame and fortune and died in poverty.
Read MoreWhile attending the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science during the early 1980s, I often frequented the Salvation Army thrift store in search of Harris Tweed jackets and thin neckties. I strove to play the part of an intelligentsia-minded glam rock dude who took his cues from Bryan Ferry while humming Joe Jackson’s “Look Sharp.” Take a journey with me into the history of neckties and their fabrics.
Read MoreFor three decades, the Proposte Fair has been a highly anticipated trade show for high-end home furnishings textile manufacturers and mills. The event brings together top mills, exquisite fabrics, and talented individuals, with beautiful Lake Como as a backdrop. Through my multiple visits, I have refined my strategies, and I hope they are useful to others attending the fair.
Read MoreStay ahead of the interior design game with our Spring 2023 European Trade Show Report covering Maison et Objet and Paris Déco Off! Get exclusive access to emerging color palettes, shades, and treatments for textiles and home décor, along with curated design analysis and interviews. Choose from digital and print subscriptions, and stay up-to-date with archival issues.
Read MoreOne of the largest international B2B trade fairs for home and contract textiles, Heimtextil is a show I never miss as a textile consultant. I attended the 2023 fair this year with two hats on: sourcing for my high-end clientele, and analyzing thousands of offerings for incoming design trends to help my subscribers do their best work. Heimtextil is an important event to spot emerging trends precisely because it is B2B. The new ideas, colors, and innovations shown here are often years ahead of hitting the market. This is a preview of our Heimtextil 2023 Special Report, with exclusive insights from the show halls that you won’t see anywhere else.
Read MoreThe first major installation in New York on lace in more than 40 years: Threads of Power: Lace from the Textilmuseum St. Gallen exhibit at the Bard Graduate Center (September 16, 2022 – January 1, 2023) captured the attention of textile enthusiasts everywhere. Exhibition curators Emma Cormack and Michele Majer answered all of our burning questions about lace, while contemporary lace artist Elena Kanagy-Loux, offered her personal take.
Read MoreI am excited to be returning to Heimtextil January 10-13 for the first time since 2020! Curious about the show? Here is a rundown of how I am planning to get the most out of the largest international trade fair for decorative textiles.
Read MoreCharting new waters in ethical and sustainable rug design, Armadillo was a natural choice for our Made in India Report. Co-founder Jodie Fried tells The Textile Eye about her big career pivot, being the first Australian and American rug maker to achieve B Corp status, and what slow living means to her.
Read MoreBorn on this day in 1930 in New York City, Ringgold created an impactful vision. For over 50 years, her art and activism have been at the vanguard of anti-racism and feminism.
Read MoreFrom Indian design studios and European upholstery brands to large American fabric companies, find out how brands producing in India are impacting the interiors market this year and how collaboration is becoming the name of the game.
Read MoreZandra 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.
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