JIM THOMPSON - Press Centre

GRAND VIZIER COLLECTION

For the 2013 No.9 collection, Richard Smith has looked again at the rich heritage of Asian textiles and reinterpreted them with a fresh twist, just as Jim Thompson did in the 50’s and 60’s.


	GRAND PAISLEY 2116/01-04 100% Linen 4 colorways Richard found a tiny document of an entwined paisley motif from the lining of an Uzbekistani robe and repainted it HUGE. This scale allows for the brush marks to shine through and gives the motif movement. The paisley has been framed by vertical stripes of a loosely painted leopard spot giving it a fun edge and moving it on further from the original reference.

	ZABADANI 2115/01-03 100% Linen 3 colorways When researching the collection Richard came across several versions of the same pattern - that is an ikat vertical stripe from Central Asia. The Jim Thompson main collection does the best REAL ikats in the world, so for No. 9 he picked up his paintbrush and made a very loose watercolour sketch emulating the horizontal movement of yarns but at the same time giving it a much fresher and lighter look. One particularly exciting colourway is the true blue with chocolate brown inspired by a 1970’s knitted men's scarf from YSL.

	PAPAVER 2118/01-03 100% Linen 3 colorways Martindale 15,000 rubs The poppy has been the inspiration for so many cultures in the history of textile design, from Japan all the way to the English Arts and Crafts movement, with everywhere in between. Looking again at the appliqués of Central Asia, the huge variety of different versions of the poppy have been painted in a loose and fluid way.

	AGIASOS 2121/01-05 100% Linen 5 colorways Martindale 15,000 rubs In the back of a French Orientaliste painting of the 1890's Richard saw the faintest outline of a tile pattern. Striking in its graphic modernity he decided it would make the perfect addition to the collection. It is a geometric, but with the typical painterly hand associated with the rest of the No.9 collections. This gives a softness and movement often lacking in many geometric designs.

	AGIASOS EMBROIDERY 2120/01-03 90% Linen – 10% Rayon 3 colorways Agiasos Embroidery catches the spirit of the original inspiration, with just the outline defined by crisp stitches on a linen ground. Twice as large as the Agiasos print it would make spectacular curtains.

	TESSERAE 2119/01-02 100% Linen 2 colorways The range of colours within the two colourways of Tesserae makes it the most versatile and appealing of designs. Loosely based on an ikat rectangle, it actually has the feeling of mosaic tiles. Printed on No.9's favourite VL linen, it has a wonderfully soft drape. It is a perfect "filler" within a room, and can be used for anything from curtains to bed skirts.

	VIZIER 2117/01-05 100% Linen 5colorways Martindale 15,000 rubs A loosely painted version of a regal ottoman damask has the scale and drama of the original but has the soft usability of a more contemporary fabric. It is printed on a linen union so that it can be used for both upholstery and curtains, and comes in 5 exciting colours that all work with the other fabrics in the collection.