Impact of the global influence on fabrics and textiles on our choice
As a lover and collector of fabrics and textiles, there is nothing I like better than spending time looking through the latest collections. Many designers and manufacturers support high-quality craftsmanship and ethical labour practices, helping to preserve traditional skills and knowledge around the world.
With so many exquisite designs and styles available, I wanted to share some of my current favourite designers and collections, which continue to inspire me.
Wicklewood
‘Ethically produced, exquisitely designed’
Founders Caroline and Rosie describe themselves as ‘modern nomads’, having lived in many locations around the world. They say, “In each new place, we sought to bring our home to life by decorating in our signature style inspired by living abroad in the South Pacific and a family legacy spanning three generations across the interior design, textile and fashion industries, our matriarchy is our main muse.”
Wicklewood’s original designs pay homage to many strong women, including Guatemalan textile collector and lecturer Lilly De Jongh Osborne, and the duo behind British fabrics and wallpapers brand Blithfield.
Wicklewood partners with artisans and entrepreneurs worldwide to create unique home designs that harness age-old traditions. Their support of craftswomen promotes ethical labour practices, ensuring that our modern, colourful designs respect textile traditions whilst also celebrating local heritage, from Guatemala to India to England.
I particularly love their original star indigo fabric and Guatemalan textiles.
Wicklewood Images Above and Main Blog Image Photo credit: https://wicklewood.com/
Susan Deliss
“Embroideries and ethnic influence”
Susan Deliss is an internationally recognised textiles designer and interior decorator based in Notting Hill, London. She is known for her original use of colour and pattern. She sells limited edition cushions, hand-made lamps and lampshades and upholstered furniture, plus a frequently replenished stock of decorative objects and fine art, ikats, spectacular suzanis and kilims.
Susan strongly supports high-quality craftsmanship, where traditional skills are honoured and preserved.
From her unusual and distinctive collection, I particularly love Constanza. In designing Constanza, Susan says she was “inspired by an Indian hand-blocked print which I have reinterpreted as a weave. It looks beautiful as upholstery.”
Demetra weave - Susan is fascinated by the richly-coloured geometric patterns in Ewe and Kente cloths from West Africa. They are skilfully woven on portable looms and can be highly varied, and are increasingly sought after and valued. They are all unique and difficult to obtain in any quantity, and because of all the tiny seams, are not very practical for most purposes. So Susan decided to design her own version that could be used for decorating curtains, upholstery and blinds. Rather than simply copying original African designs, Susan creates new and versatile textiles marrying African patterns and her own colours.
Ikat collection. “Ikat is a way of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft, or sometimes the warp and the weft, before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. Ikats can be found from Central Asia, to Malaysia, to South America – unusually, the technique is pretty much the same in all these places.”
Also, I have to mention the Aztec influence on the fabric named Aztec, Criss Cross inspired by a fragment of Persian wool textile; Theadora, which is inspired by a Cameroon textile; Padisha, a paisley-inspired design from an 18th-century hand-stitched quilt; Tulip Vine, influenced by a Mughal motif and Temera, inspired by antique embroidery from Fez and Turkish-embroidered braid.
All Susan Deliss Images Photo credits: https://www.susandeliss.com/
Titley and Marr
“Imagery and colourations that suit modern-day living”
Titley and Marr is known for its collections of weaves, damasks and printed fabrics. Every seasonal collection is designed in-house, with styles inspired by traditional documents from across the globe.
My current favourites include the African Skies, Gujarat Safari, Ikat and Kalamkari collections with paisley and other Indian-influence designs.
All Titley and Marr Images Photo credit: https://titleyandmarr.co.uk/
Eva Sonaike
“African influence”
This London interiors company is known for its luxury soft furnishings & interior textiles with African-inspired patterns and vibrant colour combinations.
I particularly love the green Alafia fabric from Eva’s Kano collection. Alafia (Yoruba), meaning Peace, features a vibrant green geometric design with purple details. Eva explains “The inspiration for the design derives from the intricate decorations of Hausa buildings in Northern Nigeria’s largest city, Kano.”
Odi. I would encourage you to follow Eva’s advice and “Inject a sense of African luxury into your home with the grey and pink ODI fabric with its African-inspired geometric pattern and ‘adire’ style background. Inspired by the fences and gates of West African post-colonial architecture, this elegant fabric will instantly bring a touch of African luxury to your home.”
All Eva Sonaike Images Photo credit: https://www.evasonaike.com/
Vaughan
“Meticulous detail “
Founders, artist-designer couple Lucy and Michael Vaughan, are united by a collective passion for art and antiques. Together, they bring their artistic eye, discerning sense of style and meticulous attention to detail to the heart of their company Vaughan, designers and manufacturers of decorative lighting, furniture and accessories.
I love their beautiful embroidered linens and ikats, particularly Leros Embroidered Linen, based on a 17th-century Turkish textile. This damask design and intricately embroidered pattern that fills cloth, coupled with the use of a bold single colour, creates a striking effect.
Mingora with Katora Embroidered Linen Border. “Based on an 18th-century original found in an antique shop in Tangier, this embroidered linen is centred around a distinctive, floral motif. Carefully stitched in a striking carmine red hue, it echoes the aesthetic of designs found in the Swat Valley region.”
Also Sivas, a Turkish Ottoman textile with rusty red tulip and Balotra, a Greek textile influence with an intricate floral motif.
All Vaughan Images above photo credit https://www.vaughandesigns.com/
There is no doubt that globalisation has enlightened our knowledge and understanding of different cultures, expanded our vision and led to a greater appreciation for skilled craftsmanship and the sheer variety of beautiful fabrics and textiles, exquisite designs and a myriad of patterns and colours.
It is easier than ever to bring cultural influences, traditional materials and treasured possessions from all the places we have lived and travelled. Crucially, our enhanced appreciation has deepened our respect for textile traditions and local heritage, leading to a greater sense of responsibility in our shopping habits. The skills learnt over many generations in many places keep traditions alive.
We are seeing an increase in consumer preference for natural products that are ethically sourced and support ethical labour practices. As a result, manufacturers are changing production methods, such as using fewer chemical dyes and more natural products.
This is to be welcomed as this market is expected to grow due to increased demand for non-woven fabric, innovations in home textile products and eco-friendly home furnishings.
I believe that ethically-produced products like those mentioned above will continue to be popular and in high demand among customers throughout the next decade.
In the meantime if this has given you inspiration and you would like a hand creating your dream home give me a call on 07773 372 158 or send me an email via nicky@nickypercival.co.uk