Sourcing the building blocks that coalesce into a luxury furniture line is not for the feint of heart. Neither is producing them, as the length of time it takes to become accomplished at any specialty is daunting in hindsight. When I am selecting the pieces of the puzzle that will constitute a new Bruce Andrews design, such as the combinations in Collection Skye, I am exceedingly aware of the quality of each tiny detail—from the upholstery fabrics to the color of the nailheads and the feel of the trims to the different types of woods that make up the composition.

 

 

Design Distinction

Milled in Great Britain

There are certain venerable manufacturers to which I return for certain styles, one of which is Abraham Moon & Sons for their upholstery fabrics. The company, which was founded in 1837 and has its deepest roots in apparel, is one of the last remaining vertical woolen mills in Great Britain. In case the year doesn’t compute, Abraham Moon launched the brand in West Yorkshire in the same year Queen Victoria ascended to the British throne!

 

 

I knew I’d choose a fabric from their Heritage Collection when I was designing the version of the Highland chair pictured in the images above and below because I envisioned it in a mix of plaid wool and leather, which I sourced from the Lake Como region of Italy. The fact the tartan fabric worked so well is not a surprise given the chair’s DNA was inspired by my grandfather’s study in a manor house on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

 

 

I’m in good company: not only has Moon produced many royal commissions over the past 179 years, the fashion brands Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Paul Smith source fabrics from the fine cloth produced by them. So do a number of the top-tier furniture manufacturers and top-notch designers.

 

 

You can bet if you are blown away by a fabric you see in a design studio or a furniture showroom, it is likely produced by a company with standards as high as Moon’s.

 

Upholstery Fabrics with Serious Pedigree

 

Reading through the company’s Heritage Collection is like time traveling through history. Moon’s British Red Coat fabrics date back to the warriors of ancient Sparta, the red of the military jackets continuing to be prominent except in India through the late 1800s.

 

 

Moon’s Hunting Pink dates back to the day when all hunting rights belonged to the king and those taking part would wear the King’s livery, which was often scarlet. The origins of “pink” to describe these fabrics, given they are red, brown, black, navy or dark green, are not clear but theories suggest the name could refer to either a weathered scarlet coat or the name of a famous tailor back in the day.

 

 

The company’s Prince of Wales Check was designed by King Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales. He created the pattern for the livery for his hunts at Abergeldie Castle on Scotland’s Deeside. The cloth was further popularized by his grandson, the Duke of Windsor, when he was Prince of Wales. The fabric’s authentic colors are a red-brown on a white ground with a slate grey overcheck.

 

Louis Vuitton Spring 2017 Menswear

I just noticed the breaking runway news on Vogue—Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2017 Menswear debuts have plenty of plaids, checks and stripes in the mix. Once again fashion and design dovetail on trend!

This post, Upholstery with Serious Pedigree, © Bruce Andrews Design, all rights reserved. Our furniture is now available through Nandina Home in Aiken, SC; Jalan Jalan in Miami, FL; Travis & Company in ADAC in Atlanta; and the Ellouise Abbott showroom in Dallas, TX. We will soon be showing in the Ellouise Abbott showroom in Houston and in the Michael-Cleary showroom in Chicago, IL.