Frigieri & Co. London

Welcome to our first collection of printed home fabrics and wallpaper. The design of this collection is based on the floral sketch patterns of eminent English artist William Morris. Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a textile designer, artist, writer, socialist, and a key figure in the English Arts and Crafts movement. His innovative designs, initially made only for his own use, but later developed by his company Morris & Co., are still manufactured and sold today.

The inspiring print of this collection derives from the wallcovering pattern by William Morris, a print called “Diaper” wallpaper, which was designed and published between 1868 and 1870. ‘Diaper’ wallpaper pattern, squares containing leaf scrolls, interspersed with squares containing flowers, cream on a white ground; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; Inscribed on the back in ink with title, number and price. Part of Volume 1, a pattern book containing 25 Morris & Co. patterns from 1862-81. The collection is available for viewing from the archives of the V&A, Victoria & Albert museum, London England.

Our graphic designers wanted to improvise on the lines of Morris and in this collection, they used the colour palette of an unknown suzani painting from India dating back to 1890. A suzani is an embroidered cover or hanging, traditionally made from silk or cotton by women in Central Asia as a dowry piece. The name derived from the Persian for “needle”, and the practice of making suzanis is believed to have originated in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and spread along the tradition routes now termed the Silk Road. This inspiring painting, made in Jaipur, India, is an intriguing record and celebration of the richly decorative detail of suzanis. It was most likely copied from an existing suzani by an art student studying design.

Welcome to our second collection of printed home fabrics and wallpaper. The design of this collection is based on the vibrant and dynamic pattern designs by the famous Colombian artist and illustrator Catalina Estrada. Catalina, who is based in Barcelona is known for her ability to reimagine the folkloric visuals of Latin America in a kaleidoscope of color and symmetry which helped her build her own universe based on the simplicity of beauty. Born and raised in Colombia, Catalina draws inspiration from her childhood surrounded by the rich tapestry of flora and fauna.Catalina graduated with honors in graphic design from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín (Colombia), following painting and drawing courses at the University of Pittsburg (USA) and fine arts and lithography at the Llotja School of Arts, Barcelona (Spain). Her distinctive style has led to collaborations with major clients such as Disney, Netflix, Xbox, Paul Smith, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Camper, Nike, Levi’s, Smart/Mercedes Benz, Paulo Coelho, UNICEF, the municipalities of Barcelona and London, and the Government of India, among others.

As to the colouring of this collection and the chosen colour palette, it is strongly influenced by the palette of a printed cotton furnishing fabric designed by Harry Napper, one of the most successful commercial designers of the late Victorian period. Absorbing the most fashionable elements of British and Continental design at the end of the 19th century, Napper produced a range of very popular stylized floral designs, such as the one that inspired the colouring of this collection. He sold to many manufacturers, including G.P.& J. Baker and his textiles were particularly popular in France.