Post-War Patterns

As 'back to school' approaches, we are lifting our spirits today with new works from our fantastic collection of mid-century modern textile designs. Produced in 1953, they epitomise the fresh and playful aesthetic of post-war English design that transformed the home.

The designer is unknown, but the style of work falls firmly in the school of the innovative design work produced in England after the Second World War. Aided by post-war confidence and growth, designers created markedly contemporary, buoyant styles that elevated textile design to new heights. Women artists working in England in the 1950s were pivotal in this artistic revolution.

Patterns and motifs were inspired by the bold abstract and biomorphic forms and saturated colour of artists such as Alexander Calder and Joan Miró, as well as being influenced by advances in science, technology and industrial design. The mid-century aesthetic marked a dramatic departure from England’s conventional notions of interior fabric design—of floral chintz and naturalistic forms—and its clean lines and abstract forms remain popular and influential today.

Acquire your own affordable piece of design history! View the full collection.