Wednesday, 3 June 2020

#50YEARSOFDESIGNERSGUILD

The Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey, London was founded by artist and designer Dame Zandra Rhodes. Today it is operated by Newham College, London. Zandra still lives in the penthouse. The project of building the museum was financed by selling some of the roof top apartments. The Mexican architect, Ricardo Legoretta worked closely with Zandra and now this has become an icon building and attraction in Bermonsey. From 14 February this year Tricia Guild has the honour of being exhibited here celebrating 50 years of textile designing. The lockdown has unfortunately locked down the museum and they hope to open soon and has recently extended the dates until 14 of September. Please go if you are in London, here are a sneak view all shot by me! 

Designers Guild are this year celebrating 50 years of design and has been invited by the museum to show off her brilliant work during these years. A very well styled and curated exhibition and big enough to give you the history of DG and small enough to make it easy to absorb! This is me and Tricia at the press preview of the exhbition in February. We have known each other since the early 1980s and I have always been a big fan of her work.

Tricia has not any degrees in Textile Design, a self taught expert she has often worked together with more or less famous artists and designers. One of her first collaborations were with the artist and knitting designer, Kaffe Fasett in 1976. Together they turned a piece of art into a fabric design.

From the latest collection. Giant flowers, a panoramic wallpaper. "Le Poeme de Fleurs" AW19.

Tricia is an excellent stylist and florist. Her mix of glassware, ceramics, furniture and decorative odds and ends are timeless and super decorative. She has created a genuine style of her own.

The way Tricia Guild mixed contemporary design with her own textiles and vintage has created a trend in its own.


When the Swedish version of Elle Decoration (Then Elle Interiör) was introduced on the Swedish market I was heavily involved and styled the first ever cover. My inspiration came from by Designers Guild, Canovas and Celia Birtwell, Gunnel Sahlin etc. This was the coloursceme. AW93.

I think this is one of my favourite collections of DG. The cut out velvet and flock wallpaper are on the brink of being saucy and vulgar, but she manages to turn that into being sofisticated and glamourous.


An other of her strenghts are cushions. Mixing colours, trimmings and patterns in unexpected ways. I love the way she turned a cushion into a real wow-factor.

This is a replica of a interior from Tricia own home in 1995! An excellent example of her brilliant mix of colours, design and materiels.


Greens and graphic patterns is another great strength in Tricias CV. Fab styling!

A perfect example in how Tricia mixes vintage with modern design and colours. Vintage desk from the 1960s and plastic chair by Vitra.

But above all is her love for flowers and the garden inspiration is clear here.

Mix graphic design with flowers and you are creating an interior full of life and excitement. This black and white stripe is another one of my favourites and I had it in my old house (roman blinds in the livingroom).


I would think that green is Tricias favourite colour. Here a typical example of her way of styling. Mixing ceramics with fabric, towels, stationary, tableware etc. Formidable!

Designers Guilds biggest collections concists of plains! Any colour (nearly) can be found. Not to forget stripes and checks.

SS20! Flowers of course.

Velvets à la Tricia.

Scandinavia has influenced many of Tricias collections. From the 1800-s century Gustavian design to the 2000s.


Tricia showing off her latest collection at the press preview. The exhibition now runs until 14 September (might be extended again due to the lockdown uncertainty). Don´t miss it!

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