The five Texprint 2013 weavers showcased their diverse collections at the Indigo trade show in Paris in September to great success. Three out of the four Texprint prize winners were weavers and two weavers were selected to take part in a 7-week internship programme in Como, Italy.
Signe Rand Ebbesens’ collection was given the Woolmark Award for her stunning fashion collections which use 60% or more merino wool. Signe’s collections of fabrics focus on hand craftsmanship, intricate structures and textures that change appearance and colour in the light. She sold her innovative designs to Lululemon Athletica and Nike and she in now working at Vanners silk mill as a designer.
Cherica Haye had a stellar few days in Paris – not only did she sell plenty of her designs, she also won the Texprint Pattern Prize and jointly won an internship in Vancouver with Lululemon Athletica, as well as taking part in a 7- week internship at a mill in Como. The judges celebrated Cherica’s collection for its extraordinary designs and attention to detail, which blend traditional weave structures with contemporary performance fabrics.
Elizabeth Ashdowns’ innovative mixed-media designs for Passementerie were shortlisted for the Texprint Pattern Prize. Her designs attracted considerable interest due to the level of exquisite hand craftsmanship, a bold and contemporary colour palette and the use of a wide variety of materials ranging from leather to bullion springs. Elizabeth sold work to Cassamance and has recently undertaken a commission to produce a bracelet.
Taslima Sultana won the Texprint colour prize for her collection of fabrics which have been inspired by how insects use colour, pattern and texture for survival, attraction and protection. Judge Tamsin Blanchard praised Taslima’s fabrics, commenting on her ‘incredibly rich and vibrant designs’ (Texprint 2013).
Ffion Griffith was awarded the Texprint Space prize for her collection of contemporary Welsh blankets and interior fabrics that blend rich colour and innovative pattern placement with traditional methods and techniques. Ffion was selected to take part in the 7-week internship in Como, and on her return to the UK she will be take up a position at Liberty of London’s Fabric Innovation department.
The winners of the prizes also exhibited their work at Intertextile Shanghai in October
A loom taken apart in 1927Â is available from the Drapers Hall in The City of London. The loom is in pieces and is regarded as a fire hazard as it is wooden, so needs to find a new home.
