Take To Bed Textiles by Safomasi
***UPDATED ANNOUNCEMENT Mon 28th July 2014***This week the Great.ly team has invited all their tastemakers to take part in the 'Make Good' campaign, to raise awareness for the amazingly talented makers who allow us to create such beautifully curated boutiques with their pieces. Since writing this post, I'm over the moon that Safomasi have joined the Great.ly community as a maker and I'm lucky enough to add their Coconut Palm Pickers cushion to my boutique's collection of soft furnishings! Read on to find out more about their unique story, why they're so special and a little about their creative process...
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It's Friiiiiiiiiiday people! Yeee haaa! And yesterday I made such an exciting new textile discovery and nearly wet myself in the scramble to contact them! Yes, you know I'm fond of boldy printed fabric, particularly when it's turned into a throw or cushion. Even my long distance mother-in-law who occasionally reads this blog from the south of France (hello Meg!) has noticed my penchant for soft furnishings.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about ethnic prints and have been searching for pieces I could introduce into our home that are stylish, contemporary and tastefully done. It's not easy to shake the 90s 'Evolution' store look that keeps popping into my head (in fact I think even they have moved on from that now) so I was bowled over to find these guys.
Meet Sarah Fotheringham and Maninda Singh aka Safomasi. They live together, love together, travel and design together, meeting for the first time in Delhi on a photoshoot in 2010 (isn't that perfect serendipity?!) With Sarah's background in art and illustration and Maninda's experience in fashion and production it was pretty much a given they would end up creating something spectacular together and textiles seemed the most natural direction to take. Based in New Delhi, Safomasi is a beautiful mix of handmade contemporary prints and colours, combined with the rich, exotic traditions and cultures that inspire them on their travels. I love how Sarah injects her illustrations into their textile designs, giving them a quirky flavour. We love a bit of quirk.
"We thought that in India there were lots of traditional quilts with common designs and patterns, but a lack of contemporary, unique designs. In the UK you don't often find this type of quilt, but they work really well there as they are so versatile."Sarah's beautiful screen printed illustrations transport you off on a journey of exploration - from the coconut palm pickers and fishermen from the Alleppey Collection, inspired by the Keralan coast..."Capturing the lush landscape of the South Indian state of Kerala in colourful hues of fresh mint, lime, teal blue and coral."
To the vibrant and patternful Pushkar Collection, named after the camel fair..."From decorated camels to snappily dressed traders, we interpreted the colours and ornaments of the fair to create a collection of three distinctive, engaging and colourful prints."
All printed and made in India, Safomasi also produce a gorgeous kitchen and tableware collection-ideal for this month's topic of 'outdoor living', don't you think?So come on, tell me-are you as excited by Safomasi as I am? I don't even know where to start, although I think the Alleppey Collection is my favourite-I've always been drawn to greens and the palm leaves would compliment my little urban jungle perfectly. What's your favourite?