Product watch: Zimmer + Rohde unveils SS22 collections

On March 13, the design community will gather in the uplifted Design Centre Chelsea Harbour for what we expect to be the most meaningful London Design Weeks yet, given the struggle around live events over the last few years and following the venue’s spectacular renovation.

Among the resident suppliers that will be showcasing the latest trends and new ranges will be Zimmer + Rohde, which will unveil a range of beautiful new textiles. And it is my role to tease the design industry on what the textiles brand will be celebrating.

Sketchbook 

Sketchbooks have their own special charm, as they provide an insight into the internal workings of the artistic process. They reveal the raw material behind design and, according to Goethe, speak directly to the spirit, without intellectually circuitous detours. On the quest for the origins of artistic geniality, the sketchbook is its own genre in the art world and the scribbles of major artists are, of course, exhibited alongside finished works.

There are many different types of sketching: the planned formal sketching in a studio, in an artist’s workbook, scribbles on a journey in small sketch pads or on loose scraps of paper that fit into a jacket pocket. Sketching nocturnal inspirations on a notepad next to the bed or even the classic white serviette in a restaurant. Taken together they have one thing in common: they immortalise the creative flashes of genius. It is this short moment, as well as its myriad manifestations in the shape of dots, lines, bundles of lines, hatching, brush marks and colour splotches, spontaneously transferred onto paper, that the Sketchbook collection by Zimmer + Rhode is dedicated to.

For the artistic designs – Graffiti, Script and Superimposition – fine line drawings, scribbles and hatchings were translated into artfully woven and finely embroidered textiles. The spectacular linen print, Colour Study, is a textile interpretation of a painterly colour study. The material collage, Compilation, was created through lighthearted experiments with weave and Scherli techniques as well as a virtuoso choice of materials. The deliberate use of random principles in the manufacturing process and the combination of print and jacquard fabrics is particularly acute in the two signature designs, Grand Leaves and Kubist, which tell of the experimental joy of working with a sketchbook. This ramble through the decorative worlds of a variety of artistic styles is rounded off by extensive monochrome palettes in unadulterated materials like thick-pile mohair velour and relaxed but sophisticated linen satin, all the way down to flattering soft textured mélange fabrics.

Of all the interior materials we use in our homes (and in the hotels we design), textiles are responsible for the feeling of softness and warmth in the living space. Its appearance varies like no other, depending on the light, the atmosphere and simply due to its inherent liveliness. In this way, the fabric, and therefore the collection, takes on the role in interior space that the sketchbook would in an exhibition.

Etamine – ‘Coup de Soleil’

Against whitewashed walls and rough stone floor, the sun plays games with the flowers of an Etamine fabric and creates shadows that dance in the wind. Somewhere in Andalusia, in the studio of a French artist, the Coup de Soleil, collection by Etamine offers us a glimpse of the beauty of natural materials and the rich colours of its prints and embroideries.

Like a painter’s canvas, the Chant de L’eau fabric offers us a depth of focus of an imaginary horizon thanks to a digital printing process that also reduces energy and water consumption. For Esprit de Vent, the blend of cotton, linen and recycled fibres creates an open weave like a fishing net that gently entraps the light while the wild flowers of Liberté Folle throw themselves at a linen voile with a hand-washed finish that comes to us straight from the shores of Lake Como.

Who is the true creator, nature or the artist? Etamine steps away from the norm and projects its vision of the world in an imaginary dimension where shapes and fabrics blend and fuse. Wool fabric wraps itself around a piece of furniture to enhance its form, a voile fabric reaches out ephemerally into nature to create an illusion and reveal a gesture. The essence is light, nomadic and the stuff of dreams.

Caught in the last rays of the sun, the floral fabrics come to life, while at nightfall a star sparkles above the olive groves; it bears the beautiful name Etamine.

Travers – Garden Club

Designed to reflect the spirit of a well-travelled lifestyle, inspiration for Garden Club was drawn from all corners of the world. It stays true to Travers’ traditional design history and is influenced by the outdoors. The designs in the collection offer escapism, with an assortment of patterns and textures reminiscent of the diversity found in nature. The collection is motivated by the dream of a beautifully cultivated garden composed of plants and flowers that have been gathered from near and far. This philosophy directly relates to a variety of original designs, printing techniques and weaving processes that together form a layered collection of fabrics reminiscent of old world style.

A mastery of craftsmanship and attention to detail is found in the development of each design in the collection. To realise the hero print, Audubon Garden, Zimmer + Rhode teamed up with Southern California artist Allison Cosmos. Every brush stroke was preserved for the fabric adaptation of this original hand painted garden oasis, filled with birds, flowers and butterflies. Wave Hill, a true warp print produced by trained artisans in India has a rustic quality that perfectly encapsulates a feeling of vintage charm. The colour palette is ‘of today’, with a relaxed casual nuance making each fabric approachable and easy to use. Garden Club blurs the lines between home and garden, breathing fresh colour and new life into each interior.

Zimmer + Rhode is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.

Main image credit: Zimmer + Rhode