Liberty Art Fabrics: SS 2013

It's that time of year again! New season of Liberty prints. And oh what a selection!

The general theme for the collections this season is "The Flower Show", and there isn't a dud amongst them.

So without further ado ...

 

Guerrilla Gardening

I'm quite thrilled about this collection, which is inspired by Richard Reynolds, founder of Guerrillagardening.org, and his nocturnal transformation of the abandoned flowerbeds and roundabouts of the particularly grimy and neglected neighbourhood of Elephant and Castle in London. I live in this general area of London, and have seen the wonderful work of Richard and his gang of midnight gardeners. He came along to talk to my WI about the guerrilla gardening movement last summer, and he is a real inspiration.

Anyway, here are the prints from this collection.

"... capturing the spirit of the ethereal lavender field planted by Guerrilla Gardeners on a roundabout on Westminster Bridge Road, London" (Liberty):

John Larke in A

I pass this lavender field almost daily, and in late Summer it smells like heaven (which is extraordinary for South London):

source

This print celebrates Richard and Lyla, his soon-to-be (or perhaps already?) Mrs. The "design inspiration was a 1950s archive print which was then re-worked and hand painted to depict Guerrilla Gardeners bringing plants to an urban landscape, creating areas of beauty amongst the architecture" (Liberty):

Richard and Lyla in A

Wouldn't this make a sensational sundress?! I know I said no more fabric this year, but I might not be able to resist this one! This print celebrates International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening day, on 1 May:

Mayrose in A

Each of these are available in other colourways, but these were my favs.

Tresco

This collection is inspired by Tresco Abbey Garden (on the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall), and its extraordinary diversity of plant life. This is one place I'd love to visit.

Gahhhh! Just love this ditsy floral print:

Xanthe Sunbeam in (clockwise) D, A, B, C

I am this point, weak at the knees. I spent a good 10 minutes in Liberty stroking this one:

June's Meadow in C

"The treasures in the Abbey Garden are not limited to florals, there is also a collection of mosaics and shipwrecked figure heads, all these inspired this design: an exotic floral conversational with spiky palms, tropical plants, huge succulents mixed with mysterious statues." (Liberty)  This is so gorgeous. I want to frame it:

Archipelago in A

I think this print would make a gorgeous whole-cloth quilt, or would be a lovely woven tank top - especially colourway A: the colours in this colourway scream summer, but the other variations are equally stunning:

Beth's Flowers in (clockwise) A, B, C, D

Too pretty:

Amy Jane in D

Chelsea Flower Show

I'm less excited about this collection, though it's still lovely. I like these best:

Fierce in C

Inspired by Delftware tiles:

Matlida Tulip in B

Vienna

"The motto inscribed above the Secession building in Vienna ‘To the age its art, to art, it's freedom' inspired eminent painters, architects and designers to create art which is admired all over the world. This led the Liberty Art Fabrics Studio to visit this capital city, and the following designs were inspired by the natural plant forms and structures they encountered." (Liberty)

A geometric watercolour inspired by the paintings of Gustav Klimt:

Reuben Nouveau in C

This is classic Liberty:

Aronov in B

The next two are based on Liberty designs originally created in the 1890s. Simply stunning, I think:

Hazel in D

Jugendstil in D

And there you have it. Too much loveliness. I haven't loved a whole season's worth of prints so much since SS 2011 (my all time favourite collection).

So what do you think? Tempted? or are they too floral for your tastes?

speak soon!
x


(I should add that all pictures, unless otherwise stated, are from Liberty, and I've not been sponsored for this post. But, Liberty, feel free to send some loveliness my way if you are so inclined!).