Parris Wakefield Additions: fabrics to get excited about

Having worked around home accessories for some time, I am rarely excited by seeing another cushion…they are a staple for any good retailer as we can never have too many cushions. Well, I can but I’m odd like that. So show me another cushion and I’m looking over in the corner to see what else there is to see.

But wait a minute, what’s this? Graphic designers turned fabric designers carefully producing fabrics in the UK with colours leaping out at me. I need to see more of this. I was even more pleasantly surprised to realise that I have encountered Mr Wakefield in a past life when my project commissioned Peter Saville Associates to design the invitation to a grand opening of Richard Hamilton works.

Then I discover even further that this duo, Parris Wakefield, have designed artwork for some great British bands also. I’m now getting slightly starstruck.

Their work reminds me of Helen Frankenthaler or Morris Louis who were huge influences on me when I was studying graphic design with the bold colours of Frank Stella mixed in. This is exactly what I loved to see when I was being introduced to graphic prints at a younger age and bring that to a home market finally gets me excited about a cushion. Not because it is a cushion, but because all of these influences can become a product like this which can live, simply, as a cushion on a sofa.