Furnishing fabric, printed cotton, 'Ornamental' pattern, designed by Paul Simmons for Warner Fabrics, Great Britain, 1993.

Furnishing fabric of printed cotton.

Given by Warner Fabrics plc

Registered File number 1993/60.

Warner & Sons was founded in 1870 as a silk-weaving company in Spitalfields, London by Benjamin Warner and became one of the best-known producers of high quality domestic woven and printed furnishings. In 1993 Warner's launched an exciting new range at Chelsea Design Week by young British designers Neil Bottle, Paul Simmons and Alistair McAuley.

Paul Simmons graduated in Printed Textiles from Glasgow School of Art in 1988. 'Timorous Beasties', a collaborative venue with fellow graduate Alistair McAuley, produced hand-printed and painted furnishings and hangings to commission. These commisions regularly featured enormous and rather threatening insects and exotic flora in lurid shades.

The designers have had to adapt to the rigours of exact repeats for mechanised production and toned down their colours and images to suit a mass market. Their talent was spotted at a very early stage by Eddie Squires, Design Director at Warners and the success of the collection was due in equal part to his skill and commerical sense. The mass produced range forms a fascinating counterpoint to the individual works of the designers.

Attribution note: Launched at Chelsea Design Week 1993
Reason For Production: Retail

T.165-1993