Once I was invited to talk with Patrick Frey for this 12 months’s Nantucket by Design luncheon, I knew I needed to have a good time not solely the extraordinary legacy of Pierre Frey materials, but additionally the Nantucket Historic Affiliation and their summer time exhibition on textiles. Each honor the custom of nice craftsmanship and design, the place heritage finds recent relevance within the current. It felt like a uncommon and becoming alternative to weave collectively previous and current, trend and interiors—threads of time and style.
In case you’ve ever run your fingers throughout a handwoven material or marveled on the intricate design of a centuries-old textile, you already perceive that material tells a deeper story. Textiles have been among the many first actually world commodities, connecting distant corners of the world by way of commerce and cultural change, shaping who we’re and the way we reside. They helped construct empires, spark revolutions, and advance science—dyestuffs, for instance, laid the groundwork for contemporary chemistry. Each Pierre Frey and Nantucket share the influences of worldwide cultures in textiles, bringing the world house by way of design, materiality and craft. Even on our little island as Michael Harrison, NHA Chief Curator, explains, “So many elements of island historical past could be explored by way of textiles and clothes.” Under, from the exhibit, a quilt reveals early innovation, combining native product with imported material. “Crammed with Nantucket wool, the backing material is probably going American and the roller-printed glazed cotton prime material is British, mentioned to have been smuggled onto Nantucket by way of the British coastal blockade in the course of the Struggle of 1812.”
Phebe Starbuck Swain (1795–1882), maker, Present of John Chadbourne, courtesy of The Nantucket Historic Affiliation
Years in the past, I had the privilege of becoming a member of Patrick and a small group of designers for a curator-led tour of the Interwoven Globe exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Artwork. The present provided a masterful exploration of the interaction between trend and ornamental arts—a theme that left an enduring impression. That reminiscence grew to become the seed of an thought: to create one thing wearable that might honor that very same intersection of disciplines and converse to each heritage and craft.
I used to be notably drawn to the mid-18th century Dutch Wentke above and envisioned a jacket impressed by Palampore textiles, steeped in historical past and wealthy in ornamental storytelling that echoed the theme of our discuss—The Transportive Energy of Textiles: Bringing the World Dwelling.
After a go to to the Pierre Frey showroom in New York, I chosen two harmonious Braquenié patterns, Medallions Bouquets Rayure and Bengali, above, each primarily based on Indo-Persian panels saved within the archives of Maison Pierre Frey. Considered one of my favourite elements of the bigger sample was its inclusion of stylized mermaids, so paying homage to Nantucket lore.
I then reached out to Sokayri, a couture atelier really useful by my sister-in-law, to remodel these historically inside materials right into a customized piece crafted particularly for the event. Because the proprietor of the studio defined, “This jacket was greater than a bespoke garment—it was a journey. From the preliminary becoming to the ultimate hand-stitched element, it embodied a spirit of collaboration, craftsmanship, and care. Each factor informed a narrative, woven along with intention and love.”
At every go to, I labored carefully with Svetlana, deciding how and the place to piece collectively the numerous patterns. In a rare show of workmanship, she meticulously pieced collectively the intricate patterns of the 2 distinct materials to create a one-of-a-kind customized jacket. Every material, wealthy in texture and storytelling, provided a singular visible narrative—one daring and complicated , the opposite small with an general repeat.
Rigorously aligning motifs in order that florals flowed seamlessly into angular kinds, she created visible cohesion with out sacrificing the individuality of every textile. Strategic panel placement, hand-cut sample matching, and refined tailoring selections ensured that the jacket was not solely impeccably constructed but additionally a wearable murals, paying homage to the legacy of French textile design.
In true couture trend, the jacket is a shocking marriage of artistry and imaginative and prescient, with each factor thoughtfully thought of. Nevertheless it was the collar that really elevated the piece to one thing extraordinary. Hand-embroidered with botanical motifs on a sublime silk border, fastidiously chosen to enhance each the materials and my coloring, the collar added simply the precise contact of delicate element. It was that refined but unforgettable ending be aware that made the jacket not simply bespoke, however intimate and intentional.
A thanks to The Vault for the beneficiant mortgage of the beautiful Silvia Furmanovich earrings—an impeccable completion that complemented the jacket to perfection.
However the largest thanks goes to Patrick Frey and the Pierre Frey workforce for entrusting me to information this inspiring discuss.
Thanks to everybody who got here. Pierre Frey and the Nantucket Historic Affiliation could appear worlds aside—one a storied French textile home, the opposite a New England cultural establishment—however at their core, they share a kindred spirit. Each are dedicated to preserving and celebrating historical past by way of magnificence, craft, and storytelling. Whether or not it’s Pierre Frey’s beautiful materials that deliver centuries-old patterns and artisanal methods into the current, or the NHA’s considerate stewardship of Nantucket’s wealthy previous, every reminds us that heritage isn’t simply one thing to be merely admired—it’s one thing to be lived with, layered into our environment, and handed down with care. It’s this shared reverence for custom and timeless design that makes their connection really feel not solely pure, however actually inspiring.
