With its powerhouse prints and signature summer spirit, the Brazilian brand’s SS22 collection delivers unadulterated joy.

Check out the website for some fabulous summer prints and sunshine vibes. http://www.farmrio.eu/

Farm Rio started back in 1997 as an independent fashion stall in Rio de Janeiro; since then Farm Rio has become one of Brazil’s most coveted labels. And with evocative colours, bold silhouettes, distinct cultural influences, and an endless vacation vibe serving as its house hallmarks, it’s easy to see why.

The brand’s Instagram bio reveals its intentions “to dress in happiness year-round”, and its powerful prints and joyful designs are like a shot of sartorial serotonin.

Co-founders Katia Barros and Marcello Bastos are dedicated to protecting their main muse, mother nature, and have joined forces with the non-profit organization One Tree Planted to give back to the environment by planting one tree for every purchase made. Now a 100 percent carbon-neutral company globally, Farm Rio is continually looking for innovative ways to lessen its impact on the planet.

All images from https://www.farmrio.eu/

Happy Wednesday! Last week I took a week long trip over to Tuscan, flying into Florence and exploring the Tuscan countryside. What a trip; I just had to share.

From the traditional arts and textiles to the modern fashions in Florence. The trip was amazing – a feast for the eyes. Met some beautiful friendly people, tasted some amazing food and drank a lot of spritz!

Couldn’t help but be wowed by the amazing hand painted pottery at a ‘Leoncini’ shop. We were in San Gimignano (Siena) The patterns and colours were incredible, bright and fun. https://www.leoncini-italy.com/

Next stop to Pienza – what a beautiful town on a hill; surrounded but the most amazing tuscan landscape. Friendly people and amazing food. What more do you need?

Back to Florence to explore and I was amazed to find so many cool vintage shops, boutiques and vintage sections within bigger department stores. Below are a few of my favourites.

Angelo vintage https://www.angelovintage.com/ and Melrose Vintage were two great finds! It felt like Melrose vintage went on for days – such beautiful and unique pieces.

A lovely boutique we found collating a range of brands was called miss trench. Young, fun and playful prints and lots of bright colours! Visit https://misstrench.com/ to explore more.

Unfortunately by that point it was time to fly home… not before a little mooch around the airport at Etro and Salvatore Ferragamos’ beautiful prints.

Such an amazing trip that I would recommend to everyone!

Sarah x

How about some new season jubilant mash-up prints to lift your spring spirits? Paul Smith, Etro, Paco Rabanne, Marni and more treat us to a showcase of stripes in every which way. The golden rule this season when it comes to print – more is more!

From powdery lavenders at Simone Roche to ultra violets at Valentino and deep dark plums at Alaia; purple is the shade of the season.

If you don’t believe us – Pantone made it clear with their colour of the year 2022.

‘PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri, a dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet red undertone blends the faithfulness and constancy of blue with the energy and excitement of red. A new Pantone colour whose dynamic novel presence encourages personal inventiveness and creativity.’

Sublitex Print with a purple hue… Did you know all our prints can be recoloured to your own personal colour palette? Get in touch with us today for more information on the full Sublitex library and what we can do to accommodate you individual request.

Carrying on from last weeks Seventies print inspiration. This week we have some more retro popping colourful prints for you from the fabulous sublitex library. Happy Wednesday!

One of the main print trends coming through for spring/summer is ‘Seventies.’ Optical geometrics and bold florals in beautiful colour ways; think fluro Pink next to mustard and brown.

Below is a selection on the highstreet right now and also some fabulous prints from the sublitex library.

Get in touch if you would like to see more from the extensive archive of prints.

Spring isnt quite here yet, and while we long for longer days that are warm and filled with sunshine – don’t get the sandals out just yet. We have collated a lovely collection of the best patterned and printed coats out there to brighten up you day.

If you have to wear a coat and feel the need to be warm you may as well look stylish?! A coat doesn’t have to be black and ‘go with everything’ embrace pattern and print and wear you personality on your sleeve.

Instagram: @jessica_mae_design and Facebook: @jessicamaedesign

Jess is an Illustrator and Print Designer based in Somerset who I met at a Christmas market in Bath. I have a penchant for vintage florals which I  found in Jess’ work.

She says that  “I have always had a passion for all things nature, floral and travel which I use as inspiration for my pattern design. Initially coming from a Textile Design background I discovered my love for all things patterned and Illustration whilst studying for my BA in Textiles Design at Arts University Bournemouth.”

At the end of her degree and after working as an in-house Graphic Designer for 3 years in March 2020 she took the plunge and Jessica Mae Design was established.

“I have experimented with a range of different mediums such as screen-printing, embroidery. However, now predominantly I focusing around digital illustration and apply this to my ever expanding range of products. I am hugely influenced by our planet and the environment therefore I practice completely plastic-free and aim to work with recyclable and compostable materials wherever possible.”

Along with all the products you see in her online shop Jess also offers commissions and freelance services.

Email: jessicamaedesign@hotmail.com
Website: www.jessicamaedesign.com

Sublitex are always ahead of the game, with an ever growing library of designs, Sublitex recolour prints at no charge to suit your collection. 

The classic: leopard print isn’t going anywhere, see below some of Sublitex’ new interpretations.

More vibrant animal prints and texture. Bold colours and abstract pattern of all scales.

An amazing new multi-layered cultural collaboration between Vasarely Foundation, Paco Rabanne and Selfridges. Over the next three months, ‘Universe’ will explore the work of ground-breaking artist Victor Vasarely, his influence on contemporaries such as Paco Rabanne as well as today’s tastemakers, and how he continues to shape the future, in this extraordinary exhibition-meets-retail space at The Selfridges Corner Shop.

The Exhibition runs: 13 January – 27 March at Selfridges Corner Shop: London.

As part of this pioneering initiative in The Corner Shop at Selfridges London – and a first for us here at Selfridges – you can shop original Vasarely art works and sculptures within our very own curated, climate-controlled gallery space (complete with a hypnotic Vasarely-printed floor).

In addition, you can shop collectible works of art in the form of exclusive Vasarely-inspired products, available in store and online. From standout skateboards with mesmeric geometric-print decks to cushions cloaked in myriad colourful squares.

Paco Rabanne S/S 2022

Celebrating the influence of Victor Vasarely on his contemporary, Paco Rabanne, and future designers at the fashion house, iconic pieces from both the archive – including Paco’s signature metallic disc dresses from his 1969 collection – and the new season are also on display. Paco Rabanne’s current Creative Director, Julien Dossena, was inspired by Vasarely’s expressive art style for his Spring/Summer 22 collection, utilising the artist’s celebrated optical illusion prints across co-ordinated outfit combinations. 

Victor Vasarely

You can also learn more about the past, present and future of ‘op art’ and Victor Vasarely

Hungarian-French artist Victor Vasarely pioneered the Op Art movement – short for “optical art” – in the 1960s with his undulating, hypnotic forms that appeared to shimmer, bend and swell before the viewer’s eyes. While artists have long used varying techniques to create illusory effects that mimic depth, movement and light (the prominent artistic technique trompe l’oeil literally means “trick the eye”), it wasn’t until the emergence of Op Art that the mechanics of the gaze were given priority over the image itself. This was largely influenced by developments in science and technology, but also by wider cultural shifts and the dawn of the modern digital world.

Over the course of his career, he designed several public murals and, in 1976, he established the Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence. Working alongside architects, Vasarely designed the facade as a monumental optical artwork, comprising huge anodised aluminium plates decorated with geometrical motifs in black and white that are reflected on the surface of a large pond. He hoped the foundation would become a hub of innovation and creativity, a “laboratory of ideas”. While this ambition was never realised during his lifetime, today the foundation serves as both a public museum and an important site of reference for many artists.

Information and images from https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/