This is the Story of . . .

One common theme that arises in nearly all of our Designer Diaries interviews with Fabric Collective designers is that inspiration really can strike anywhere. For this blog piece, we delve deeper into some of the fascinating and surprising stories behind some of the Fabric Collective designs. From surreal dreams and school art projects to spending time in the great outdoors, inspiration is everywhere – you just have to keep your eyes open to it. Grab a cup of tea and get comfortable, because story time is about to begin . .  .

This is the Story of . . . Elephant Jungle

Elephants strapped into hot air balloons floating high above a pink jungle canopy . . . A fantastical and surrealist scene, this design is filled with whimsy and imagination. A light-hearted reinvention of Jennifer Shorto's Tiger in The Night design, Elephant Jungle is a representation of a dream in which the absurd takes over and elephants take to the skies . . . 

 

This is the Story of . . . Channel Islands

For this design, designer of Lake August Alexis Hartman wanted to create a tribute to California sea life and specifically the legendary kelp forests that are full of anemones, coral, crabs and sea turtles. She painted a large watercolour of the scene as well as a series of smaller paintings. The result is Channel Islands, one of Alexis's favourite designs from the line. She explains, "It is the most transportive - when standing in a room wrapped in this wallpaper one is immersed in a world that most of us only get to see in pictures". Available in: Clouds, Pacific & Pacific/Grasscloth 

This is the Story of . . . Jardin, Epine & Wild Rose

For her 2021 collection, Designer of Nine Muses Textiles Tigger Hall, took inspiration from the resurgence of gardening that she witnessed as a result of the pandemic. She explains,"With Covid, there has been a proliferation of people starting to garden as well as bringing the outside in by creating interior spaces with indoor plants. This inspired us to include botanical designs in our 2021 collection. Reflecting this desire to bring nature within, these designs featuring printed foliage will enliven and freshen up interiors. And after a year of being tucked up in our homes more than usual, it makes sense that we want to blur this boundary between inside and outside."

Image above: Jardin Mere 

 

Image above: Epine Original

Image above: Wild Rose Original

Explaining her process, Tigger told us,"I have painted botanical pictures for as long as I can remember. My mother was a great gardener; we grew up in the garden and I also adore gardening, I am out in it every day. There is nowhere more surprising than a garden – each day will surprise and delight you more than the day before. Beyond the florals themselves, it's important to consider other factors such as light which will add another dimension to the look and feel entirely. I love seeing the sunlight shine through the fine, almost translucent petals and leaves. I have tried to create this with the designs in this collection, bringing in the very fine details of the flowers to create vibrancy within.

This is the Story of . . . Little Cress

The inspiration behind Tori Murphy's Little Cress design is an example of the beauty you can find when you approach the world with childlike wonder. Tori Murphy explains, "Our eldest daughter grew some cress at nursery in a plastic pot with her face taped on it, and when it grew,the cress looked like it was growing out of her head. She was delighted with it so we pressed some. It was really quite beautiful and so one of our patterns Little Cress was born...".