Christopher Farr Cloth
Having launched in 2000, the eponymous Christopher Farr Cloth – co-founded with Michal Silver and Matthew Bourne – brings art and design together to create exceptional quality fabrics that nod to 20th-century artists. Bringing together the work of a broad church of designers, we really like the Chubby Check by Kit Kemp. Explore the range here.
Colefax & Fowler
No list of great textile designers could ever be complete without mention of Colefax & Fowler. Founded by Lady Sibyl Colefax in the 1930s (John Fowler joined the company in the forties), its constantly changing collections have made it synonymous with beauty and quality. No wonder then that it has drawn such a devoted following of royals and celebrities. With a roster of other designers under the C&F umbrella, including Jane Churchill and Manuel Canovas, we especially love the Delgado by Colefax And Fowler. Explore the range here.
Fermoie
Tom Helme and Martin Ephson form the duo behind Fermoie. They also happen to be the founders of Farrow & Ball too. ‘A natural progression’, as they put it, the textural fabrics do feel of a piece with the natural and highly pigmented paint. We love the deep hues of the Wicker textile, which would work beautifully as curtains or upholstery. Explore the range here.
Volga Linen
If you’re looking for linen textiles, there is nowhere finer to find them than Volga Linen. Lady Amanda Harlech, Creative Consultant to Chanel & Fendi, eulogises, ‘I cannot sleep without my Volga linen sheets. They travel with me everywhere… Even the Ritz in Paris has a set.’ Founded in 1995 by Theresa Tollemache, the fabrics are natural, sustainable and produced in central and eastern Europe. We love all the bold striped linens: classic and perfect. Explore the range here.
Soane Britain
Founded by Lulu Lytle in 1997, Soane Britain collaborates with more than 59 independent workshops across Britain and now has showrooms in New York as well as London. They say, ‘Every single piece is made in Britain, using a network of workshops that excel in traditional crafts. The evolving collections include entirely new designs as well as pieces inspired by antique originals.’ We adore the Elephantine Malachite Weave. Explore the range here.
Molly Mahon
We love Molly Mahon, the Sussex-based hand-block printer. Everything she touches is charming – not least her pervading references to the natural world. We really like her Mughal block-printed linen. Explore the range here.
GP & J Baker
GP & J Baker has been a royal warrant holder since 1982, having been founded in 1884. Illustrious designers by the score have passed through its doors and its archive is a thing of wonder. As they say, ‘Unique to this remarkable archive are over one hundred volumes of pattern books containing thousands of samples and designs from the 18th and 19th centuries. These large vellum-bound books were acquired by George Percival Baker when he bought the Swaisland Printworks, home to the leading British calico printer of the early Victorian era.’ We love the Mallorcan Ikat. Explore the range here.
Schumacher
Founded in 1889 when Paris-born Frederic Schumacher arrived in New York to start his business, his textiles soon went on to grace the likes of the Waldorf Astoria. Its iconic designs and collaborations make it legend amid interior design circles, while the fact that it produced fabric for parachutes during WWII proves that its fabrics are practical as well as pretty. Schumacher has worked with the likes of Cecil Beaton and Frank Lloyd Wright, while Jackie Kennedy and Mick Jagger count amongst its stellar clientele. We adore the Lune Pink Red. Explore the range here.
Susie Watson Designs
Relaxed style is a hallmark of a Susie Watson design. Based in the Cotswolds, its informal country style reflects its surroundings beautifully. The Pink Bird Flower design is sweet and ideal for a child’s bedroom. Explore the range here.
Claire de Quénetain
Painterly and joyful, Claire de Quénetain’s textiles are reminiscent of the impressionist painters – with a hint of the Bloomsbury set thrown in for good measure. Having studied Fine Art in Switzerland, she later studied at The Royal Academy of Art, and now produces two collections a year. One of the most exciting new textile designers working today. We are very taken with the Amalia design. Explore the range here.
Osborne & Little
Founded in the 1960s, from its inception Osborne & Little has been renowned for its fine balance of the contemporary with the classic. Intricate and artistic, we love the Villa Como scene, which transports us straight to the Italian lakes in one swish of a curtain. Explore the range here.
By Nancy Alsop
April 2023
