Propaganda & Soviet Textiles from the 1920's

Over the weekend, a friend sent this link my way- it’s an extensive library of patterns that were produced during the 1920’s in the Soviet Union. With the Sochi Olympics on everyone’s mind, I thought the batch would be interesting to share, as they reflect life and culture through the lens of communism. The motifs reveal workers, peasant life, planes, locomotives, marine living, cotton picking, tractor riding, propellers, collectivization, mechanization, florals and symbolic repeats.

This concept, of course, wasn’t a new one, as every country fighting a war was in on the act, creating messaging through textiless. To learn more, check out this book from Yale University Press, Wearing Propaganda: Textiles on the Home Front in Japan, Britain and the United States.

February 10, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Garment Printing in Brooklyn

Here’s a snapshot from earlier today of my visit to a printing studio in Greenwood, Brooklyn. At the moment, I’m in the process of scoping out various local printers for a few print collaborations that I’ll be releasing this Spring…quite a deadline, I know. If any of you have any leads on high quality linen printing, I’m all ears…thanks!

February 6, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Textile Trends & Moon Phases

Moon phases have been a mechanism for counting from the beginning of time. The ability to track progress through shadows and light is magnificent concept, and artists from all over the globe have been harnessing this as inspiration for their work.

At the top (1), we have art printed on textiles from the Bulan Project. Bulan means “moon” in Indonesian, and is the guiding light for Elle Luna, the artist behind the series. (2) is a peasant blouse by HD in Paris, that’s a new arrival on Anthopologie’s website and (3) is one of twelve unique calendar pages by the print studio, Clementine and Pickle. To purchase, click here.

January 29, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

This Week in the Pattern World

It’s been a big week for the print and pattern world, especially if you’re in the midst of designing for Spring/Summer 15. I wore a few different hats over the past few days, which was an interesting learning experience- one that’s been fun but a little draining. In reality, being a jack of all trades isn’t that different from the day-to-day tasks of being a consultant, but in regard to Printsource and Premiere Vision/Indigo, it was a small feat to hop between being press and a presenter. Just a little note, I kept the shows separate, so there was never a conflict of interest.

Big News from Pattern Pulp Studio

For those of you who who don’t know, I just opened shop with a library of over a 100+ new prints for Pattern Pulp’s Textile Studio (yay)! It’s been wonderful and exhausting to juggle the balancing act of client work with painting and pattern production of an entirely new collection. That said, I’m pretty happy with how things have turned out…

As soon as the new website launches, everything will be online, and if you’re interested in licensing, purchasing, or potentially collaborating on product development together, please don’t hesitate to reach out. The categories are across the board, ranging from home, apparel and accessories for men, women and children.

Reflecting on Printsource

In all honesty, Printsource was as I had remembered it when I worked in corporate footwear design: a bit more conservative, a bit more mass. Kim and I had a wonderful time presenting and meeting with waves of buyers, artists, new business owners, fellow presenters and students. Interestingly though, we kept hearing that our work was particularly artsy and “haute couture” for the show. Weird, right? At first, it makes you wonder, “well hey, that’s cool, thanks!” But then you start to think, am I in the right place, among the right buyers?” It’s all a learning experience, you see…figuring your place in the market, deciding what brands are best suited to collaborate with. It makes me think that Premiere Vision might be a better fit for our next presentation.

Which leads me to the press portion of this post- the valuable tidbits from the shows. As usual, the Italian, French, British, Australian and Taiwanese presenters blew me out of the water.

Notable trends from Premiere Vision | Indigo

1. Wooden buttons with color accents were a thing, much like the furniture design world (Bottonificio)
2. Prisms are still a big deal, only now they’re a bit more messy, a bit more decayed
3. Texture collages are still an interesting form of storytelling, particularly in regard to ethnic prints
4. Landscape printed lace…absolutely stunning (Goutarel)
5. Large sketchy portraits (a la Great Gatsby)
6. Florescent geometric wovens
7. Shells, sea creatures and other animals out of context

A few studios from both shows that blew me out of the water:

1. Malhia Kent (France)
2. Alcantara
3. Liberty Art Fabrics (London)
4. Manitoba (Buenos Aires)
5. Amy Ormond (New York)
6. C.O.T.O by Takisada Osaka (Japan)
7. Gratacos
8. Seterie Aegunti
9. Kuku Kachu (Australia)
10. Ulysse Pila (France)
11. Gimoar (Italy)
12. Shinkong Textile Co (Taiwan)
13. Abby Lichtman Design (NYC)
14. Susanna Samson Design (London)
15. Minakani (France)
16. Philomela (California)
17. Print Fresh Studio (Pennsylvania)

If you’d like to discuss the wrap up a bit more, feel free to get in touch!

January 16, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Around the Globe, Visiting Saigon

I particularly loved Ho Chi Minh City, or more appropriately, Saigon. If we’re talking fashion, it’s a city devoted to children’s and menswear, with a nod to art and design throughout various poster stores, bookshops and cafes. I found L’usine, a concept and design store housing local and international products to be quite special, as well as Pizza 4P’s (Italian by Japanese…here’s a little video I took of some pizza making magic), Cuc Gach Quan, a vegetarian’s haven, and this very special non-profit called Mekong Creations, which employs women throughout Vietnam and Cambodia making beautiful quilts, bags, fabrics and small home goods.

If you’re looking to see how the locals live and interact with their families, a visit to the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens is in order. You’re merely feet away from the animals and around every bend, there’s a musical performance, engaging the children to dance and pose for pictures. This leg of travel was very special, as the energy’s palpable and the pace of globalization’s moving quickly (as opposed to the north). The French influence is evident, both in the past and the present, primarily throughout the architectural landscape. Interestingly though, Korean, Russian and Japanese culture has made significant headway, making it’s mark in fashion, media and business development. Can’t tell you how many kids were listening to and watching KPOP Music and film…

Stay tuned, I’ll be sharing the Singapore leg tomorrow!

January 8, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Textiles from the Eskayel Neverworld

Yesterday we focused on hard motifs and circular themes, today’s devoted to ethereal delights. We’re highlighting the beautiful and enchanting symmetry coming out of the Eskayel Studio. Run by Shana Campanaro and Nick Chacona, this Brooklyn-based company excels in interior fabrics.

I recently spotted their couch at ABC Carpet and wished I could bring it home and make it a permanent part of my living room. There’s a freshness and a familiarity to the work that shines through the color combinations and subtle application of pattern. If you’re looking for a sophisticated gift this holiday season, I’d recommend visiting their shop, as the stationary, iPhone cases, coasters, pillows and baskets would all be stunning additions to any home.

December 19, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik