SPINNING NEW YARNS

Flower power

Outsized flowers were one overriding theme, their aim being to create romantic, elegant environments. Gancedo’s Charlotte collection demonstrated a noticeable trend for gigantic, woven Art Deco-style flowers combined with 70s-style geometric patterns. All came in elaborate velvets.

Ybarra & Serret presented its signatura floral prints in its new collection Decenio, which marks the 10th anniversary of this Madrid-based company.

Güell Lamadrid’s Academy collection was another good illustration of this trend: large geometric flowers blossomed against backgrounds in fashionable hues, while fabrics came in high quality materials like velvet and silk.

As for the very chic, elegant, neo-baroque style – another strong trend – this was amply represented by the collection Berlín by Gastón y Daniela, which includes huge plant motifs. Alhambra Internacional’s Maya collection -traditional designs boasting florals and damasks in seductive fabrics like velvet- had a fresh and luxurious vibe.

Another hot trend at Maison & Objet Editeurs was for refined, embroidered florals in a broad palette of colours ranging from beiges, greys, white as well as more vibrant hues. Think fabrics which exude a summery vibe brimming with freshness, luminosity and vivacity. Particularly representative of this trend were the collections Evian, Hyderabad and Himalaya by Pepe Peñalver, Gastón y Daniela and Gancedo respectively.

Metallic brilliance

This trend manifested itself in unusual – but super-fashionable – colours such as mauves, pinks, greys, all in sumptuously lustrous, metallic tones. Gold and silver continued to loom large as hot favourites among many of these companies. They came mixed together or a little distressed.

Pepe Peñalver’s ultra-distressed collection, Cooking, in rich aubergine tones as well as cooler greys, is a good example of this mini-trend, as is the collection Emotions which came courtesy of Alhambra Internacional. The latter features burnished gold and mauve shades and a finish resembling a glossy varnished surface.

Then there was Gancedo’s Ambrosia collection characterised by glamorous, out-there designs in shiny, gold and silver tones – ideal as upholstery fabrics and available in a variety of materials which can be mixed and matched: synthetic fibres, lacy textures as well as smoother finishes.

Eye-catching examples of this trend were velvets in degrade in purple/ mauve, blue, pearl grey and earth tone colourways – as could be seen in Gancedo’s Fortuny collection and the metallic prints of Ybarra & Serret.

The Mimic collection by Lizzo, inspired by nature in its wildest, most rugged state, mixes different textures and satiny finishes which contrast with the fabrics’ small geometric motifs. Overall, the collection creates a sophisticated, elegant, masculine, urban and contemporary look.

Natural, warm tones

Another trend coming through was for natural textures and elements. Exhibited alongside textiles which were simple in a sophisticated way were organic-looking finishes simulating animal skins. The latter made a strong case for bringing back all things natural and authentic. Examples of this included Güell Lamadrid’s Terra y Gatsby collection and Lizzo’s Bloom fabrics, both of which came in soft neutrals and in linen in beige and frosty whites. This style can be summed up as versatile, current and subtle.

More evidence of this nature-loving trend came with Gastón y Daniela’s Sotogrande collection which included textiles in linen, wool and raffia whose palette ranged from beiges to chocolate brown. Another manifestation of this natural, elegant style was the City line, courtesy of another company, Les Creations de la Maison.

Exotic destinations

Finally, we noted another trend for attractive colour combinations with motifs inspired by far-flung cultures: Africa, the Caucasus and Far East. Simultaneously ethnic and chic, these fabrics show that these seemingly contradictory qualities can complement each other well. Indeed, the collections managed to feel both informal and sophisticated at the same time.

Gastón y Daniela evoked the magic of India in its collection Nasirabad, took inspiration from ikats from the Caucasus in its collection Punjab and African and Asian exoticism in its Somalia and Gran Monocolor collections.

Meanwhile, Pepe Peñalver, in its collection Giverny, also explored exotic influences, this time looking to the Chinese-influenced motifs of toiles de Jouy.

And finally Lizzo presented the Samarkanda collection, inspired by traditional Suzani, the antique and decorative tribal textiles made in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Central Asia countries. Traditionally, women in 12th-century Uzbekistan wove Suzani using vibrant colours in fabrics derived from wool or cotton and made these textiles to commemorate important milestones in their lives.