Bradford Collection | Influential Practitioners

Josef and Anni Albers

Renowned for his disciplined approach to composition, Josef uses simplistic shapes, whilst constantly portraying the influence of the Bauhaus movement. I'm particularly drawn to his use of intense colours and block shapes, as I'm trying to produce samples with a similar motif.

Josef Albers 

Coincidently married to Josef, Anni was one of the best known textile artists and printmakers from the 20th Century. 

[left] Rail, linen casement by Knoll [right] Black, White, Yellow, silk and rayon wall hanging 

I've found a similarity between the work of Anni's and of Josef's; with an obvious preference towards simplistic shapes, the squares and 'blocks' have influenced my project and changed the way in which I'm drawing and collaging. Rather than creating extremely plain woven samples to later screen print on, these artists have made me question my fluid and organic illustrations, and made me consider portraying certain elements in a woven way. Could I produce samples with minimalistic shapes, but varying colours? Could I use the chenille to represent intricate details found on the seeds, in a similar way to Anni's delicate work? These practitioners have given me a lot of ideas to consider and I'm excited where this could take my project. 

I also think this could be a great way for me to use the past to help me re-invent the old. As proven with fashion trends, moments in history are constantly coming back to life and often with little influence from the modern world...could the Bauhaus movement be the way for me to modernise chenille?

Mae Engelgeer

A Dutch, woven designer, Engelgeer creates extremely simply designed fabrics which really stand out; her use of neutral tones with a splash of neon, simple shapes and experimental composition are exceptionally effective. 

[left] Mode Collection [right] Flock Collection

  

I find Mae's work to be clean and minimalistic, whilst still portraying an organic element in her work. With inspiration drawn from marble stones and gravel, I'm inspired by her use of colour to add a contemporary and appealing side to her fabrics. Her work is aimed at a similar market audience as how I envisage my own; high-end interiors. Her Mode collection is made up of a range of throws and offer a double-sided product - something that I am trying to create with my own fabric. 

Practice Unit | Bradford Collection

Natural Dyeing | Colour palette

A strong focus in this project are the processes the yarn goes through, before it is woven. I've chosen to take my colour palette and inspiration from plants and vegetables I studied, whilst in France. I want to have the source of inspiration as a constant stream through this project. 

I've taken a lot of time experimenting with natural dyeing; I've learned so much regarding which plants work best, as well as the science behind the concept. I feel proud with the end result, knowing that I've grown/locally sourced the dyestuff, mordanted the fabric, prepared the dye bath, dyed the fabric and disposed of the waste, all in a sustainable way, with no harm to the environment. 

[left] naturally dyed linen samples [right] colour swatches and testers for palette

Structures | Weaving

I've chosen to work with a fairly simple and restricted colour palette; I feel this is important when trying to portray a natural theme. I'm working with 2/20s bleached linen which I've dyed using red cabbage and pomegranate seeds, and threaded my loom up on block - this will allow me to easily distinguish contrasting shapes and separate areas. 

After my tutorial with Lesley, I've found the concept of reinventing the old really interesting; she explained how subconsciously I've been incorporating so many traditional techniques into my work, but with a more current and contemporary outlook.  

Contrasting weft yarn 

When considering how I want my final samples to feel, I think I need to introduce another element into my work, to allow the fabric to feel softer and more luxurious. From market research, bedspreads and throws stocked at stores such as John Lewis, are often either knitted or contain a yarn which ensures the product will be comfortable to use. 

Whilst in the studios, I discovered an Italian yarn made from a viscose and wool blend, and it has led me to consider working with chenille. Using a yarn such as pre-dyed chenille, will provide the textural and luxurious aspect to my work, as well as creating a contrast against the natural linen. I also believe it is a way for me to push the idea of 'reinventing the old' - chenille is often seen as quite dated within textiles and I think it will be a challenge for me to dispose of this image. Companies such as Fabricut are already producing fabrics with a refreshingly modern take on chenille, by tightly weaving the yarn and adding a contemporary colour scheme.

Fabricut - 'Mood' collection

Practice Unit | Bradford Collection

Sustainability

Throughout the Practice Unit, I intend to create collections surrounding Sustainable Textiles within Interiors. I understand that it is an area that is becoming increasingly important within the fashion industry, however there doesn't seem to be the same awareness towards sustainability in the interiors market. Through extensive research and sampling, I hope to understand why this.

Sustainability in Textiles is an enormous area to focus on, so my initial starting point will be the dyeing processes. 

Synthetic dyes have become the go-to option; they have strong pigmentation, endless colour options and are easily taken by the fabric. From reading an article in The Guardian, I discovered that until last year, the toxic effluent from dye houses around the World, could often be seen flowing through rivers and chemically damaging the surrounding areas. As a result of this, companies such as DyeCoo and AirDye have started to produce waterless dye technology, in the hope it will reduce the amount of wastewater and pollution. 

Inspiration | Initial Research

Having spent the majority of my childhood growing up in the French countryside and being surrounded by the organic environment, I've always felt very inspired by the earth and the beauty within nature. After spending a fortnight in France over the summer, it enabled me to gather my visual research and confirmed that this would be my starting point for my Practice Unit. 

For the Bradford competition, I aim to design and produce a collection of fabrics that explore these areas of research and will be aimed towards an interior-based context, particularly high end. 

Own image | Vegetable garden in France

I want to further develop my understanding of the processes used when naturally dyeing fabric, as well as take a lot of time and consideration when choosing my yarn. I understand that the yarn plays a vital role when discussing sustainable textiles, therefore I want to spend a lot of time on this. I want my colour palette to be clean and professional, whilst also demonstrating the organic elements in my work. I hope to experiment with printing and explore ways of adding textures to my work. I intend to continue exploring my ideas through an experimental approach, to allow me to not only develop a strong understanding within this area of textiles, but also create a solid collection of work, portraying a broad range of abilities for my portfolio. 

I have spent a lot of time researching other companies which work with similar morals as my own. After contacting Whaleys Bradford Limited, I have discovered various fabrics created using 100% natural fibres - bamboo, pineapple, flax, however I believe linen to be the most suitable for this project. Alternative natural fibres can be extremely expensive, and although I'm aiming my collection at a high-end market, I want this to be shown through the quality of the fabric and not just the price.

I've also sourced other fabric samples from various companies, to help decide what sort of density I want for my fabric, and learn how linen works when combined with other natural yarns. I've discovered that linen works best when mixed with cotton, as it helps to soften the fabric - this could be something I consider using later on in the project?