The naturalistic, floral patterns of the Arts and Crafts movement are such a firm favourite with the British establishment that it is easy to forget the idealistic, rebellious roots of the style revolution. Angered by the demoralising effects rising industry and mass production was having on British society at large, writer John Ruskin, designer William…
Category Archives: PIONEERS
“Nothing should be made by man’s labour that is not worth making.” William Morris In this new series we will explore some of the key ideas behind the iconic and hugely influential British Arts and Crafts Movement, a widespread phenomenon of the late 19th and early 20th century that continues to shape the world we…
Every age has its legends. Stories of people who go above and beyond in the cause of justice and hope. People who sacrifice their lives for what they deem to be right. A thousand years ago it was Lancelot and Robin Hood, today it is Batman and Wonder Woman… and Robin Hood – let’s be…
There is a sparkling lightness of touch associated with Raoul Dufy’s practice, one that defines the joi de vivre of the Parisian Belle Epoque era he was raised in. One of his most popular quotations, “my eyes were made to erase all that is ugly,” reveals his inclination towards the decorative and beautiful, or the…
In this new series, we will explore three revolutionary artists who have crossed over from the art world into textiles and fashion, delving into the obstacles they faced and what led them to pursue commercial ventures. Art and fashion: two distinct industries, yet their divide is more porous today than ever. Many of today’s contemporary artists…
Well, usually we do good guys, but every once in a while you have to let the bad guys out to play (for artistic purposes of course!). With Halloween coming up, we decided to let our creative juices flow to the spooky side! The most iconic bad guys in film and literary history always have…
Sometimes inspiration comes from giant mountain vistas, breathtakingly beautiful music or deep-felt emotions. Other times it comes from a very specific shade of blue. Yes, it is nothing epic to look at, but when I ordered three yards of Blue Bayou fabric, it changed my life. Honestly, I had no plans for the fabric, I…
Does sudden inspiration ever strike you at the strangest of times? I was in the workshop last month working on a project with one of our team members, Sarah, when two words that I had heard together for years finally clicked. They were, “Jedi Knights”. Of course, we all know what Jedi Knights are: the…
It is said that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. Well, that goes for costume design plans too! Sometimes you can prepare for months and then the plan goes off without a hitch. Other times, you can put all the planning in the world into a project and suddenly – all the pieces…
By Zan Campbell of Fell & Fair Productions So often, these days, people go seeking “adventure” except that they spend so much time and money beforehand, ensuring that nothing goes wrong, that by the time the “adventure” happens, it’s no longer and adventure. In light of this, I have long held to the motto, “It’s…
As a guy, it’s hard sometimes to get inspiration from wedding planning. Let’s be honest, that’s usually not a dude thing… until you add swords. Do I have your attention now? As a kid, who loved knights and battles, I sought out every movie I could find with swords and sword fights. Two of my…
In our previous tutorial we introduced you to a traditional style of Japanese embroidery called Sashiko. Today, as promised, we are showing you how to use this great embellishment skill in garment making and we invite you to customize a simple dress, which has the perfect yoke space for embroidery. Even though hand embroidery takes time,…
Sashiko is a form of Japanese folk embroidery using simple running stitches to create repeating geometric shapes and intricate patterns. Literally meaning “little stabs”, sashiko was originally used for repairs and reinforcements. Today, the traditional patterns have evolved into a more decorative form and are often used to create beautiful handmade designs on table linens,…
If we wanted to begin, and then immediately end, the discussion on textile design during the Modernist period we could’ argue that to remain loyal to Modernist design in its purest form, the colorful patterns we associate with the period just couldn’t exist.’ Because in Modernist design of the purest form,’ there is no tolerance for…
In Part Two we continue looking at pioneers of Modernist architecture; the following architects brought an expansive creativity to Modern design that pushed the boundaries even farther. Their impact demonstrated not only a love of form, but also of humanity. Alvar Aalto In the starkly beautiful country of Finland, sixteen year old Hugo Alvar Henrik…
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