Tartan Trend13/8/2014 ‘Tartan sets the tone of the catwalks each autumn season. It’s like a leaf waiting to turn into a blaze of colour. ‘ Well, following on from paisley, I have penned a feature in Selvedge (September) all about its Scottish pal – tartan. Vivienne Westwood, the original alchemist turned prim to punk and imbued this cloth with a sense of rebellion. But our infatuation is recurrent rather than revolutionary and this enduring textile enjoys regular revivals. Wendy Dagworthy, the high priestess of British fashion and esteemed former professor at the Royal College of Art advises tartan to be worn in a modern way and she says ‘if mixed with other things like a flower or stripe, tartan works.’ Alternative Flooring follows her edict and mixes its wool tartan Fling and Dotty runners. Read all about how tartan is back in Selvedge, a beautiful publication devoted to ‘the fabric in your life.’ The feature can also be viewed on my website in the writing section. www.selvedge.org
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Crazy for Paisley12/8/2014 Paisley is an English term for a design using a droplet-shaped vegetable-cum-floral motif of Persian origin. As Wiki tells us ‘such designs became popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, following imports of post-Mughal versions from British India, especially in the form of Kashmir shawls.’ Although of Iranian and Indian origin, its western modern name comes from the textile town of Paisley in Scotland where these particular designs were woven. Paisley is a classic heritage print and one that that‘s grown on me. It has swirled its way into my wardrobe and now I have a small stash of fine wool shawls. Paisley is perfect for interiors too. I think that one of the reasons why is that this teardrop motif works a bit like a tartan. Tartan is famous its for balance and colour harmony. It can take a lot of colour but in an ordered way. If you used the same number of shades in a print it would look riotous but with a tartan it’s much more rigid. A paisley works in a similar self-contained manner and like tartan, it is wonderfully unisex, as well as cosy and stylish. Designers have also experimented with scale and this design can be any size as long as the proportions are correct. If you’re after paisley perfection then discover de Le Cuona. Here are exquisite wool paisleys made in the same age-old manner that has been used for centuries. It is woven on very old looms in Kashmir and washed by hand to achieve the soft drape and subtle shades. ‘To perfect our paisley for modern tastes we have re-coloured the designs as the traditional palette is very strong. We have used soft colours such as celadon and grey-blues, and have introduced one in chocolate and stone; it makes paisley much more contemporary.’ Bernie de Le Cuona If you would like to win a gorgeous hand-crafted Avignon Woven Paisley throw, you can enter a special competition on de Le Cuona twitter. Link below. https://twitter.com/deLeCuona www.delecuona.co.uk Bloom27/5/2014 Everything’s coming up Roses and as the FT remarked recently ‘there’s a veritable seed catalogue’s worth of floral prints from designers this season.’ This is fashion speak, but let’s talk interiors. The English grow beautiful roses and Bennison print beautiful rose fabric. Launched in 1985, Bennison Fabrics reproduce original 18th and 19th century English and French textiles that were discovered by the late, renowned antique dealer and legendary decorator, Geoffrey Bennison. Roses was first used by Geoffrey in 1979 and he adapted this design from an English document dating from 1840. Bennison Fabrics continue to print the deliciously faded original colourway but more recently has introduced the not-so-traditional lipstick pink. Whatever the colourway the knack is to be brave with your bunches and not let the ‘c’ word enter your decoration bible – that’s co-ordination to you and me. Last week’s Chelsea Flower Show was brave and very beautiful, introducing new plants, naming a hosta after Andy Murray and a unveiling the Gucci garden. In our homes, wardrobes and gardens flowers are blossoming and the rose will always be this country’s favourite. Now where did that Zebra come from? bennisonfabrics.com Categories
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