Melting Pot
Often dubbed the world’s first shopping mall, Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar was established in 1455 and remains one of the most enticing places on the planet to spend time, with more than 4,000 shops and at least 250,000 daily visitors. Then and now, the market is a trading place for jewels and textiles, known as a melting pot of the old and the new.
It is this unique atmosphere and aesthetic that has inspired Brunschwig & Fils’ latest collection of fabric and wallcovering. Grand Bazaar makes extensive use of archive material to conjure up exotic locales and traditions, with Ottoman motifs such as stylised tulips and pomegranates, and exotic florals and foliage.
‘Saraya Print’ (above left) is is a modern translation of an antique embroidered paisley, while ‘Sufera Print’ is a graphic interpretation of a classic Ottoman Empire damask. Just as the Grand Bazaar is a meeting point of east and west, so the collection borrows from many sources: ‘Montguyon’ was first introduced by Brunschwig & Fils in 1961 and was originally inspired by French needlework, while the sumptuous florals of ‘Karabali’ (above right) are derived from an Indian textile.
Colours are rich and jewel toned, but look out, too, for a blue and white palette that echoes Turkey’s ceramic traditions, looking fresh and inviting when the fabrics are mixed and matched. Find this transporting collection at GP & J Baker.
