Decadence of the roaring, twenties revisited in style

JIM THOMPSON introduces two new home fabric collections that are inspired by the elegant style of New York in the 1920s and 1930s and the rich textile heritage of Japan.

Dipping elegantly into the past, dramatic Ziggurat forms and natural swirling marble patterns of the Art Deco movement are the source of inspiration for the “New York Stories” collection, designed by its creative director Ou Baholoyodhin. He follows in the footsteps of the company’s founder, Jim Thompson, who spent a few years in New York, immersing himself in the grand and exceptionally innovative styles of the Deco period, while socialising with the city’s elite. 

Ou says, “During this period the vibrant city transformed into a modern, decadent jungle of towering, geometrical edifices. Intricate geometric forms were echoed in modern architecture, such as the landmark Paramount building sporting the stepped back terraces of the great pyramids and temples. 

“Grand interiors boasted vast steel panels, classic sun burst motifs, geometric shapes and stylised images in gold and monochrome hues. In the East Side of Midtown Manhatten, heeled shoes could be heard echoing on the pristine, grand marble floors as the city’s flamboyant and extravagant elite danced the night away at the Waldorf Hotel.”

Exquisite print designs on the fabrics depict the vibrancy of the city and reawaken an era of elegance as well as exposing Ou’s architectural roots. 

The Waldorf print is inspired by the iconic spire roof of the Waldorf Hotel, an Art Deco landmark and a popular haunt for New York’s elite in the 1930’s, while the Princeton chequered upholstery is dedicated to Thompson’s years as a student at the prestigious Ivy League Princeton University. 

Meanwhile the Holden print in complex, interlocking, hexagonal shape is in keeping with the geometric patterns often found in Art Deco architectural design and textiles and tracks back to the time when Thompson worked as an architect for Holden, McLaughlin and Associates.

Taking inspiration from the soft tidal marks on the picturesque beaches of Randall’s Island, the Harlem print also portrays the distinctive marks left behind by the tides of the iconic Harlem River that also reflects the vibrant buzz of city life. Central Park print on linen features a natural scene and communicates the tranquility of the park while the Langham cubist upholstery mirrors the iconic geometric shapes of the Art Deco era. 

For the sister brand No 9 Thompson, British designer Richard Smith brings the rich textile heritage of Japan to modern home fabrics for his collection “Origami”. Obi, the sash used in traditional dress, often has an element of mix and match and Origami suggests a layering of elements through folding. The combination of these two captures the spirit of the new collection.

Among six decorative fabrics, Obi is based on a traditional brick design, reworked by arranging the motifs into stripes of shifting colours, while Nishiki embodies the spirit of multicoloured woodblock printing on a chunky ground cloth that further enhances its handmade aesthetics. Three weaves in the collection – Origami, Rice Stitch and Tau – are eminently usable for furniture with their durability and pleasing scale.

  

 

 

STORY TO TELL

>> Jim Thompson’s “New York Stories” and No 9 Thompson’s “Origami” collections are available at the home furnishings showroom on the third floor of Jim Thompson’s Surawong shop. It’s open daily from 9am to 7pm. 

>> Call (02) 632 8100 or visit www.JimThompsonFabrics.com.