This June, Maharam introduces Ladder Stripe and Stepped Plaid, two textiles suitable for indoor and outdoor use that build upon Paul Smith and Maharam’s twenty-one-year collaboration of reinterpreting classic motifs through idiosyncratic applications of color and pattern.
The two upholsteries are the latest to explore Smith’s interest in tailored motifs with exaggerated texture and exuberant color. To create the nuanced surfaces of both textiles, the design studio paired slubbed yarns of recycled polyester in the warp and weft with a fine binder yarn that forms a gridded appearance reminiscent of needlepoint embroidery. The slubbed yarn balances a luminous glow with a dry, cottony hand and comprises the two complementary patterns: a staccato stripe and a rhythmic plaid.
Ladder Stripe’s composition of offset stripes extends Smith’s interest in using unexpected chromatic arrangements to reinterpret the classic stripe. Short horizontal stripes stack to form broad vertical bands of randomized widths for graphic effect. The palette of seven explores collegiate and mineral color combinations of warm and cool neutrals paired with accents like coral, goldenrod, and olive.
Stepped Plaid’s dense arrangement of interlocking ribbons of color forms Smith’s twist on the traditional plaid. Intersecting layers of vertical and horizontal bands converge over a light background to provide the design’s sense of transparency and to imbue a dimensional look that reads as a condensed plaid up close and an expansive, lively check from afar. A considered palette offers classic combinations like navy, taupe, and white alongside vivid hues like forest, lime, and pastel pink.
About Paul Smith
Paul Smith’s ability to combine a flair for eccentric detail with a dedication to the highest standards of craftsmanship has made him among the most successful fashion designers in British history. In business for fifty years, Smith continues to be an integral part of every aspect of the company as both chairman and designer, producing collections sold in over seventy countries worldwide. With an enthusiasm for wide-ranging cultural references and idiosyncratic combinations of pattern and color, applied with understatement, Smith expresses a truly contemporary aesthetic.