Designing Women - FTM

On Saturday I finally went to the soon-to-be-over exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum, Designing Women - Post War British Textiles. I'd never been to the museum before, it's a big square bright orange building situated on a quiet street a short walk from London Bridge.

The exhibition focused on a small selection of revolutionary female fabric designers who, after the drab days of the World War II, brought new bright progressive designs to English textiles. As a great lover of repetition and geometry in design you will find a lot of patterned fabric in my stash and in my wardrobe which basically means I coveted practically everything in the collection at the FTM.

Lucienne Day

The work of Lucienne Day was my particular favourite. Her designs were printed for furnishing fabrics as well as other media including wallpapers (yes please!) and carpets but that didn't stop me wanting a dress or two made from the same prints!  Walking around the exhibition it was v.clear and interesting to see how much designers today take inspiration from the amazing fabrics printed throughout the 50s. Prominent themes included nature, geometric shapes, repeating patterns and abstract forms (seriously, I couldn't have been happier surrounded by all the gorgeous designs).

Marian Mahler

It was an incredibly inspiring exhibition and I would definitely recommend it for those who harbour a love for retro prints and/or an interest in 50s textiles! The museum also has a v.cute cafe attached which sells tasty tarts, cakes and tea (the dark vanilla cream tea was divine).