Four British Textile Designers to Know About
These women are leading the way with pattern and panache.
Newly created Atelier UK is a textile treasure for anyone with a passion for prints. Created by a small group of artisanal screen printers from England, the collective designs represent a print aesthetic that combines exquisite drawings and graphics from artisans with a specific point of view. The fabrics—in either brilliant colors or subtle “color-not-color” palettes—are now available in the United States through Crans Baldwin, online or by appointment in Connecticut.
ELEANOR FAUSING
“Spending time outdoors plays a huge part in helping me find peace, which ultimately inspires me. I find that bringing a slice of the outdoors in promotes a sense of calm, minimizes stress and enhances creativity,” says Fausing. The Folium Collection is printed on natural, unbleached, 100-percent linen that achieves a range of colors that closely match those you would find in nature. One thing that makes this collection unique is that each decision has been carefully considered (for environmental and well-being reasons), from minimizing ink and fabric wastage to printing with pigment inks in specific colors that help us feel connected to nature.”
KATE MEDLICOTT
Color is at the very heart of Kate Medlicott fabrics. Bold shades and simple motifs contrast with flamboyant one-off designs, often influenced by the artist’s time in Asia. Medlicott grew up on an organic farm, deep in rural England, and went on to train as a painter. She is continually inspired by the countryside paired with bright painterly hues. With sustainability at the heart of her business, all the designs are printed digitally onto British-woven linen using nontoxic water-based inks. Basilica, her first woven fabric, is produced by a historic mill in England, which has been in operation since 1720. Basilica is at once rustic and luxurious.
LEAPING FOXES
Leaping Foxes fabrics are instantly recognizable for their timeless design and neutral palette, creating a calm, refreshing aesthetic. Mainly using rich Indian ink, eucalyptus, warm gray and cool blues across the range, patterns can be seamlessly layered from the various collections. Designer Liora Ives has always had a great passion for textiles and her background in hand printing has helped her to maintain an authentic natural look. Now translating her hand-drawn motifs into patterns that are digitally created, she works alongside English companies that weave and print the fabric to order to create a sustainable and truly British brand.
MEG MORTON
The mother-daughter team of Maggie Baxter and Vicky Clappison are the artists behind this brand— named after Maggie’s mother whose family were textile manufacturers weaving for William Morris and Voysey in Scotland in the early 1900s. Many of their timeless designs start out being hand- painted in their country studio yet will be at home in either a traditional or modern design. Inspiration for their fabrics and wallpapers, especially their most recent River’s Walk Collection, is drawn from the surrounding North Dorset countryside, as well as from exploring their rich textile heritage that goes back to 1867. All the fabrics and wallpapers are printed and made in England.
