Some Ab Fab 50s Fabric and Lino Design
1 Marion Mahler fabric design
1 Marion Mahler fabric designIn a probably premature celebratory move (so I'm seriously tempting the Gods of Smugness here), some ab fab 50s fabric and lino design.
For me what's great is the introduction of simple quirky abstract shapes and bright primary colours in often off-centre design - all as a way, I guess, of optimistically starting the new decade after after the horrors of WW2.
No more comment is needed guys ...
2 Marion Mahler fabric design
3 Marion Mahler fabric design
4
5
6 
7
8
9
10
11
12
13 
14Champagne!
Any favourites?
I'm crazy bout the first three Marion Mahler designs and (for obvious reasons) the lurid bright green lino design (#7)!!!
Nick,
ReplyDeleteWhat fun these are! Looking at them now, they seem to evoke that era so marvelously...martinis and cool jazz (both of which were so forbidden at our house, and so seems so terribly sophisticated, urban, wordly.)
I mean so disrespect when I say I'd love to have all these designs on gift-wrapping paper. Though I can understand that might be the equivalent of someone telling me how much they love playing Callas recordings as background music at their cocktail parties. Anyway, I'm sure I've seen #7 on gift wrap paper because I bought it.
It's a terrific, fun collection you've put together, sir. Next stop, poodle skirts, high heels, and sweater sets!
hey paul
ReplyDeleteyes, you're so right - they really say texture of the era so well! all that's needed is a long cigarette holder and a few italian cane chairs - and you're right - once you look at the fabrics you see icons of the period you've not noticed before
very luckily a few years back i was in a 50s retro shop in sydney and they had a few of bolts of unused 50s curtain fabrics - which in fact what suggested the idea of this post
bolts which i often use for the table cloth - my fav looks a bit like #2 - almost though perhaps not quite so fab
as for using these for gift wrapping - why not if for very special presents! and there are some very serious cocktail parties ... but this is blasphemy going too far!
These are really good; your taste is impeccable, as always. I see commercialization of images from "modern art," a little Paul Klee, Joan Miro, Jackson Pollack. Certainly, designers looked at fine arts for inspiration.
ReplyDeletehey jason
ReplyDeleteyep, i think they're ab fab too!
and you are right, the 50s fabric designers were picking up on a whole range imagery from modern and abstract art
and so great to have been able to have these re-constructions as spins-offs at home in curtains, table clothes and so on.
good to hear as usual
nick