5 Geometric Fabrics That Make a Statement
Bold patterns from Ralph Lauren Home, Pierre Frey, and more
There is no doubt geometric fabrics are not for the faint of heart. Forget florals, plaids or, heaven forbid—solid colors—as these striking patterns can command a room and give it structure. They offer an energetic and graphic element that might otherwise be missing. Kravet 34012.916, a fabric that understandably needs no formal name, is a clear nod to one of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian’s iconic grids of primary colors. In Hermès’ Perspective Cavalière Bayadère—part of the company’s first outdoor fabric collection—which it describes as “a wide, multicolored ‘bayadère’”—or a Hindu dancing girl—letters come together, merge, and tumble like building blocks.
The Art Deco look of Pierre Frey’s Paquebot—or steamship—has a richness that comes from its silvery velvet material. The firm used an innovative printing technique that colors and embosses the velvet to create a textured effect. Ralph Lauren Home’s Bambara Cloth offers vivid layers of stripes and diamonds, but its earthy tones provide a calming balance. Possibly the most subtle is English textile designer Jennifer Shorto’s Night Flying Bird. The varying triangles look almost hand-colored, giving the fabric a more intimate and informal feel. From thick black lines to red zigzags, to layers and layers of myriad shapes, this batch of geometric-themed fabrics surely makes an unforgettable statement.