Textile design is the art of creating patterns and structures for woven, printed, knitted or embroidered fabrics, whether for clothing, furnishing or decoration. A textile designer must combine an understanding of colour, pattern repeat and scale with knowledge of the fibres and production methods that will bring the design to life.
The history of textile design in Britain includes the elaborate floral silks woven at Spitalfields in eighteenth-century London, where Anna Maria Garthwaite was a leading designer, and printed cottons and chintzes inspired by Indian imports. France contributed the pictorial toiles de Jouy of the Oberkampf factory. In the nineteenth century the Jacquard loom made complex woven patterns easier to produce, while William Morris revived hand block printing and natural dyes, creating designs such as Strawberry Thief that remain in production. Later landmarks include the Art Nouveau designs sold by Liberty, and post-war prints by designers such as Lucienne Day. Collectors seek original period fabrics, printed or woven samples, and designs by known names, with selvedge marks and printed registration details helping to identify them. Historic designs continue to influence curtains, upholstery and wallpaper today.
