News & agenda

ARTS THREAD went to Indigo Home in Brussels yesterday to check out the 99 studios offering creative textiles and surface designs for the home market. From wallpaper and carpets to bedlinen and gift wrap – it’s all possible! Exhibitors reported busy stands and a strong selling day yesterday with an emphasis on the hand drawn and hand created – clients wanting this feature above all others. Clients from Russia and China (or working for end-clients in these countries) continue to be key for this sector, driving a good percentage of sales.

ARTS THREAD spoke to Martina Steiner of Como-based Giacomo Barzaghi who confirmed good sales, especially watercolour florals. Her team of eleven designers work exclusively on hand painting designs and Martina felt overall the mood of clients was more optimistic this session.

Ilene Danchig from New York specialises in archive and documentary textiles ranging from the Italian Renaissance and Provençal to African and ethnic patterns. Ilene prefers to show the pieces as ‘flat textiles’ rather then as its was in its previous 3D life, pieces of a garment for example, as it allows her clients ‘to dream’ and imagine its end result rather than be dictated by the original 3D shape.

Having its launch at the show Patternmaker from St Petersburg. Patternmaker is a new software system created to allow the designer to create quickly many different variants on repeating images. ARTS THREAD spoke to founder Andrey Sktritsky who told us that in 10 minutes a designer could look through lots of different repeat variants. Andrey also owns the Stereooboi (stereo wallpapers in Russian) and it was through his work in designing that he decided to create Patternmaker -to speed up the process. Stereooboi’s signature style is 3D, graphic, with unexpected colourways.  

It was also the debut of Westcott Home at the Brussels Home show. Well-known for his London-based fashion textile studio, Peter Westcott decided to come to the interiors show, as the studio have been increasingly selling to interior markets. With archives of Victorian wallpapers and hand-painted sample motifs, as well as vintage kimonos and embroidered shawls, the stand was a cornucopia of ideas. Peter told us to look out for folkloric and historical designs for the Paris Fashion Indigo show next week.

Swedish studio Björk-Forth is composed of design duo Pia Björklund and Magnus Forthmeiier, who specialise in designs that they describe as ‘Scandinavian’ for their international clients and contemporary and ‘simple’ when they are at home in Sweden! Bold florals, black and white graphic imagery sit alongside their Focus collection of calmer, more classic designs.

Diane Harrison Designs has a strong centrally-placed stand from which to show its wide range of designs. Diane told us it had been very, very busy and it was good to meet so many clients who seemed optimistic. Diane was especially proud of the studio’s bold coloured designs with a techno graphic theme referencing pixelation and digital-blurs.

Paris-based Valérie B Cartier is well-known for her surrealist oversized florals, however her work covers a range of motifs -often with a magical or surreal edge, such as fantasy animals and plants – we like the cabbage with legs!

Katsu Creative Project is based in Kyoto and ARTS THREAD spoke to the owner Yoko Yoshioka about his designs. Yoko is especially promoting damask designs, with rich dark tones and subtle accents of metallics. Used primarily for wall coverings, his clients appreciate the sophisticated special techniques.

Atelier Zabel is based between Germany and Moscow, with studios in each location. Falk Zabel explained how the two studios produce for the different client bases; with the Russians favouring rich complex florals.

Nicholas Watson from Leicester-based Art Cottage told us how well their large-scale hand-painted watercolours were selling – designs included large swirling paisleys, wisteria blooms and a beautifully-painted series on tropical fish.

Munsterwerke is the design studio of Katrin Krschak from Berlin. Katrin has a strong focus on designs for the children’s market for many end uses, with an emphasis on bedlinen and wallpaper. Katrin’s inspiration comes from many sources, such as children’s books and walking around her native Berlin. We especially like the retro-style animals using patterned borders and infills.

Le Yellow Label Designs, un studio britannique, a lui aussi connu une première journée intense sur le salon.

Studiomade@ntu, nouveau sur le salon, est une initiative de l’École d’art et de design de la Nottingham Trent University. Une sélection de travaux des diplômés de l'école donne le ton de 4 thèmes élémentaires : State of Play, Gloss Candy Shop et Graveyard Neon.