Fabric

Every year Heimtextil trade show presents all the latest in textile design. It is often easy to distinguish the trends and to define in what movement direction the consumer is moving. However, this year (presenting Fall/Winter 08/09) there were over 2,800 exhibitors so to identify the trends was not as easy.

Here are a few of my favourite textiles (grouped into three trends I could fathom) from the show.

Nature: There is a move towards the more graphic art and nature drawings. It is the elements that are most important. Take for example, an ordinary tree trunk and fragment the colours inside into a formulated pattern (refer to the top right image). Gold is another big trend when mixed with rich red or royal purple (see the third image from the right on the top). Black and white is another movement (refer to the last image) you can see the influence of traditional hand-crocheting techniques in the flowers. My favourite in this collection must be the bugs and stem textile design (second image on the top). I do not know what the significance of the bugs having numbers in them is but the simplistic nature of the design and basic use of red and black appeals to me.

Clockwise from top right: Bruckert Creations; Plage SA; Quid Novi; Bruckert Creations; Stromma Sweden; Joaquin Reina; Prestigious Textiles; JAB Josef Anstoetz KG

Animals: I could not help but include these four textiles. The first one with the chicken and eggs I think is adorable and so fun. I can image this fabric as a cushion on a wooden bench outside a farmyard kitchen. Animals in textiles, as trend, can be either abstract and simplified or perfect and detailed like in the third textile of Squirrels and Deer. In this example I think it is important to focus on the theme more so than the design as a trend - the deers and squirrels are both cute and gentle creatures often used in fantasty stories. Fantasy and beauty are two big trends of the summer, more prevalent in fashion with the return of fairy dresses and the use of light airy fabrics. In the fourth textile below the deer is used again reinforcing this use of magic and symbolic power. The drawing of this textile is also very stylized and sketchy. This sketched quality has been around as a trend for some time now but I also do not think it is going away. I love it. I also think the unusual combination of elements in this design makes it special and even more interesting.

Clockwise from top right: Sprugel Hometex; Print Forum; Stromma Sweden; Rasch Textile GmbH

Combinations: Colour, colour and colour. Colours are in but it is the shade and hue that matters most! Look at the cushions by Mexx Bed and Bath (right) and you can get an idea of the colour combination and how prints are overlapped, combined and co-ordinated. Put spots with stripes or plains and suddenly it is not so overpowering, but once again, it is the colour combination that is most important. This chair by Globaltex Ltd has a purple, red, pink and lime green spot. It sounds a yuck colour combination but because the shades are right, it works wonderfully and looks delicious.

Most importantlly for Fall/Winter 08/09 is to have fun, combine your black and white sketch textiles with your brights (that are in the right shade) and create a house full of wonder!

I am an absolute fan of Amy Butler’s bags and fabrics. I came across her bags and fabrics in about November last year and she became one of my main inspirations in starting up Wren.

She started out making small passport sized bags, then started creating surface designs for a friend and feel in love with it. From there she started a sewing pattern bussiness and slowly it has grown into the Amy Butler brand. Now she has a team that manufactures handbags, pillows, fabric journals as well as paper craft products, Soak and Sweet Life Bags. The lines are produced in limited quantites and do go quite quickly.

I love the concept that you can either buy the completed product or the DIY complete kit that comes with instructions, the pattern and the fabric like what Lisa has done with her Velma bag.

One of my favourite things about her bags is that they are shipped inside a resusable drawstring tote that can be used for storing the bag or a multitude of other things. I think this is a brilliant idea.

This magical blue fabric has a fascinating history. The story begins in Europe where the fabric was imported from Asia, mainly India. The cloth was originally made using natural indigo dye but a synthetic substitute as well as two additional colours (a rich chocolate brown and a vibrant red) is now used.The original German Print, ‘Ujamani’ or ‘Shweshwe’ fabric was introduced to South Africa with the German settlers in 1858/9. Xhosa women took a particular liking to this stiff blue fabric and gradually replaced their animal skin garments for these newly available cotton ones. Over the years Shweshwe fabric has become an intricate part of traditional ceremonies in the rural areas.

Slowly the production of Shweshwe fabric has disappeared from Europe and today the only known producers of the Indigo Dyed Discharge Printed Fabric are in South Africa. This factory is 45% owned by the workers, creating a sustainable future for them in the Eastern Cape. Authentic Shweshwe fabrics can be identified by a trademark back-stamp on the fabric: the Three

Leopards, the South African version of the original and traditional Three Cats trademark or Toto 6. The stiff touch, smell and taste of the fabric are also unique ways to ensure the fabric is genuine. The reason for these characteristics lies in the fabric’s history:- During the long sea voyage from the UK to South Africa, starch was used to preserve the fabric from the elements and gave a characteristic stiffness and smell. Today the fabric is starched for traditional reasons. After washing, the stiffness and smell slowly disappear to leave behind a beautiful soft cotton fabric.

(Note: When washing Shweswhe for the first time the excess indigo comes out and therefore, it is advisable to wash items separately).

Wren bags are very special. Each one is unique, a one-of-a-kind, and with its own personality – just like you! A lot of time is spent making sure the colours and patterns of each bag work together. All the bags are made perfectly so that they last you a long time and meet the highest quality standards (as I am an admitted perfectionist).

Every bag is personally made either by me, or when the work load gets too much I ask for the help of two very special seamstresses from the local community.

Bag Description

• Hidden exterior pocket perfect for ipod, cellphone, keys or coins.

• 3 interior pockets: On one side a cellphone and wallet pouch and on the other side is a zipper pocket lined in a contrasting colour fabric.

• There is also a snap hook inside for your keys or small pouch to clip into.

• As a special surprise – each bag comes with a pouch filled with hand-picked and dried French perfume lavender from Franschoek – perfect for keeping your bag smelling great.

• The bag is closed by two hidden magnets. These magnets are very strong but are not placed close enough to cause your cellphone or other electrical objects any damage.

• Approx. Dimensions: 12.5”x3” at the bottom and 10” high. The shoulder straps are 24”.

• All Wren products are supremely crafted by hand in and by South Africa(ns). Great care is taken to ensure that all Wren products are of the highest standards.