inspiration : TRENDS | a window into the world
A WINDOW INTO THE WORLD
I’m not sure if it’s prescient or just the way my eye works, but two of three trends spotted at the late winter/early spring markets in Europe are based on travel and large-format visuals. Considering the timing of this issue, when most of us are tucked away in our homes, a look at the beauty offered by the wider world is something to treasure. BY SUSAN SCHULTZ
Setting the Scene: Wallcoverings
Once the provenance of old-world brands like Zuber & Cie, wallcoverings have made a comeback in recent years. Technology has played a huge role in this resurgence. Wide-format digital printers now output in much finer detail. High-resolution scanning is available to capture more detail from antique and vintage images. Finally, the tools for retouching, reworking and manipulating these large files are now more accessible. But for a variety of reasons, and not just the technical ones, wallcovering murals are now widely available in styles ranging from classical to contemporary.
Armchair Travelers: Patterns
“Exotic” patterns and designs have long been a go-to inspiration source for textile collections, but many brands are digging deeper. What this means is that there’s a stunningly large collection of designs that range from the whimsical to formal, from definitely “ethnic” to “where did that come from” and everything in between.
Technical Achievements: Fabrics
Another aspect of innovation in textile design and production can be seen in the fabrics themselves. Highly advanced weaves are now possible due to more sophisticated looms coupled with improvements in fiber and spinning techniques. Oftentimes these incredibly complex fabrics (from a production point of view) appear remarkably subtle, while in other cases, the techniques are right there, designed to be admired. On the other hand, there has been a resurgence in hand-blocked patterns on the market, including new brands that have started working directly with artisans and heritage brands that have gone into their archives to reintroduce, or sometimes reinvent, past patterns. This ancient, hands-on process requires a completely different type of technical expertise. V
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Cole & Son introduced Seville, a collection based on the centuries-old city founded by Phoenicians that still bears remnants of its long history under many rulers. Shown here is “Hispalis,” a densely overgrown archway leading to a mysterious beyond.
MAY + JUNE 2020 | wf-vision.com
