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Country Creatures Design Series: Fermoie Fabrics

At Country Creatures we are proud of the British craftsmen and designers that we use in the refurbishment of our properties. The Double Red Duke (due to open in February 2021) is undergoing a major renovation programme utilising the very best of British manufacturing. We work with people we know and trust. Our Country Creatures Design Series showcases the skill and incredible workmanship of these brilliant companies. For part three in our series we are shining a spotlight on Fermoie, an artisanal fabric producer who we have enjoyed working with for a number of years and who is supplying the fabric for much of our upholstery at The Double Red Duke.

Credit Fermoie

The team at Fermoie create beautiful and original fabrics. Everything is done from their factory in Wiltshire: the drawing, experimenting and printing and because everything is done in-house, the highest quality is ensured. One of the things that makes Fermoie so unique is their design and printing technique. Layers of colour on textured weaves shine through and interact with the prevailing light.

Water based pigments are mixed to create a bespoke colour palette and the use of natural dyes create a rich and varied pool of colours that feed into all our collections. Whether specifying basecloths, mixing dyes or discussing initial designs, Fermoie’s close-knit team are all passionate, talented experts in their chosen fields.

Credit Fermoie

We caught up with Rosie MacCurrach, Head of Studio at Fermoie to ask a few questions. Rosie looks after everything visual at Fermoie from new designs and creating new colours as well as photoshoots.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY?

Fermoie launched nearly 10 years ago. From highly pigmented paint to printing fine textiles, Fermoie was the natural progression for Farrow & Ball founders, Tom Helme and Martin Ephson – taking their deep expertise in colour and light to a new, more textural dimension. We’ve grown a lot in our first decade of trading, originally launching 140 colourways and 8 designs. Now we now have over 400 colourways and 33 designs with many more to come.

Country Creatures is proud to support British industry and Designers. Can you tell us a bit about Fermoie and what do you think is the secret of your success?

We’re glad to hear you champion the British textiles industry, we’re proud to be part of this community. I think our expertise in colour and fabric sets us apart. We are a design led business, creating completely original fabrics, pushing boundaries to create a truly unique aesthetic. Our product offering of fabrics, cushions and lampshades are colourful and exciting, something for every scheme.

Credit Fermoie

Could you guide us through the process from an idea to the design to the finished product of, for example a Poulton Stripe fabric that we are using at the Double Red Duke? 

New ideas and creative direction come from so many different influences, places, experiences, unusual objects, contemporary culture. Our designs, often with traditional echoes, have the distinction of being completely original – we don’t revive old prints or patterns. Instead, we chose to create anew and each design is conceived in our studio, often starting with drawing outside in nature, from observation – leaving space for transformation and new ideas to take shape.

Colour is at the heart of everything we do. We use natural dyes to create a rich and varied pool of colour that feeds into building every new collection.  Once we have an initial design, we put into on to a silk-screen and do all our own trialling. Creating fabric with texture is a key part of the Fermoie aesthetic.  Layers of colour and texture created by different impressions bring the design and the fabric alive, allowing the weave to really play a part in the design. Each pattern is created for a specific bespoke base cloth. Our Poulton stripe, printed on our 100% cotton, is a perfect example of this; our love of block printing demonstrated in the drawing of this classic layered narrow stripe.

Our aim is to create fabric that is beautiful and unique, natural colours and patterns that tell a story and evoke an atmosphere.  Fabric that is beautiful from a distance and even more exciting when you sit on it.

Credit Fermoie

What is your favourite design?

When working on a design you sort of become immersed in it. My favourite constantly changes but at the moment it’s our newly launched Astrea, a flowing, immersive floral of stars and foliage. Simple shapes, hand drawn and cut, layered with thread like colour. We wanted to push the boundaries of what is a ‘Fermoie fabric’, create something dramatic, but gentle.  Switch up the scale but still focus on the detail.  Immersive, simple and an exciting way to launch our new paper-backing service.

Credit Fermoie


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