Loved Ones: Liberty London

Funnily enough I'm not going to talk about my family and friends (mainly because I imagine the majority of my readership is comprised of them) - Loved Ones is the start of a set of posts that take a look at companies and individuals that do something I love. Simple as that! Wandering into the bookshop next to work yesterday, I managed to bag myself a beautiful new book, which inspired me...

All prints available here

Ever since I can remember, Liberty has been one of my favourite companies. From their beautiful fabrics to the amazing building on Regent St that houses them, I have always wished that one day I could work to create such great prints.

This is the beauty I picked up, The Liberty Book of Home Sewing, and it's been fun to have a flick through and see the beautifully illustrated instructions for sewing such things as basic curtains, a tote bag and a variety of different book covers. The foreword gives an introduction into the company, detailing the opening of Arthur Lasenby Liberty's first shop in 1875, from which he sold imported textiles from Japan, China and India. It's amazing to think that a brand that is now so huge and well-respected came from one man opening up shop with a passion for textiles. It can be pretty daunting to create your own business (as I'm sure many people know!), so to be reminded that success is possible with the right amount of determination is great.

Image from Liberty London 

Most well known for their small floral prints, Liberty have created some of the most coveted fabrics in the fashion and interiors world. Originally printed with wood blocks, as technology and demand advanced, it became necessary to develop more time-efficient methods, including screen printing and digital printing. Despite these new developments, the available textiles remain true to the original Liberty style.

Claire-Aude L Tana Lawn, Liberty Art Fabrics

I find it hard to envision where I'll be in 5 years time, so to imagine what could become of Holoholo 138 years into the future is pretty impossible! To leave a legacy like that of Arthur Lasenby Liberty would be amazing, but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet...