Shop Talk • The History of Floral Prints.

November 04, 2017

Hey Guys,.

 We have so many beautiful Floral prints coming through this week, that it has led me to ask the question, From Where and When did the floral print originate?

Well Kids, it all started back in the 12th Century in China. The Chinese were making detailed embroidery combining florals and scenes from Nature. All flowers and Animals in Scenes had meanings. The Peony  and the Pheonix featured a lot which means the juxtaposition of Wealth and Honour, and the lotus, which means Purity.

Chinese Embroidery

 

This  Floral trend swept through the Middle East and Asia. Although expressed in a different way through different techniques in each culture.

Japan used detailed embroidery in intricate floral designs and different techniques such as Katazome rice paste printing, E-Gasumi dying and Shibori Stitch, which one can see now predominantly in ancient Kimonos , Chrysanthemums featured in the earliest prints representing the Sun and the Royal Family.

Japanese Floral Prints

 

In India, Chintz was the word. Chintz was a fabric made from plain cotton that would be drawn on, or wood block print used ,with wax in mainly floral design and dyed with various natural dyes, then hand painted afterwards.

Indian Textiles / Chintz

The Ottoman empire inspired by Chinese and Indian textiles developed woven Velvets with styilised floral repeat patterns.

Around 1400-1500 florals started to spread to the West via European traders. Italy traded heavily with the Ottoman empire for their velvets, and Dutch and British merchants brought Chintz to the West. The popularity of Chintz exploded, but the British could not figure out how to create it, so they actually banned the import of Chintz from 1680-1759. After 1759, they developed a cheap production method.

The Wests contribution to Floral design is the Liberty Print. At the end of the 19th Century Arthur Lasenby had a small factory where he started making floral prints using contemporary Art Nouveau designs. William Morris, a member of the "Arts and Crafts movement created some Iconic liberty designs in this time.

With the industial  Revolution, mass production of textiles became available making Floral textiles available to the masses, not exclusively for the Rich, and have been enjoyed ever since.

Just looking through the florals in the shop now, one can see the history in all of the prints.

The florals with Swans.... Chinese, the Velvet overlayed with Sequin Dresses...a bit Ottoman Empire, and the Beautiful all over Rose Printed Floral Prints on our gorgeous Vintage look dresses...giving a nod to Indian techniques and Libery Prints. I wonder who first put mermaids on textiles? A question for another Blog. 

 Check out our Website www.altfinery.com.au for all our latest Floral Styles. We have so many differnent Prints, Styles, lengths, and Sizes....going up to 4XL with some styles. We also have afterpay, where you can buy now and pay off in instalments.

Have a Great Weekend.

Cheers Sam xx

 

 

 

 

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