Hitting a New Note
Chase Erwin has its roots in the landscapes of founder Ragna Erwin’s native Iceland: she often describes the fabrics’ subtle colour palette as being suffused with a dash of fog or early-morning mist. So it’s surprising that the latest collection, Jass, features textiles that come in retro-inspired celadon and acid-bright citrine as well as earthier shades.
The collection is named after a variant for the word “jazz” and Erwin was inspired by a car journey around Iceland, listening to a radio programme about the musical genre’s early roots. Intended to be lively, fun and playful, it is anchored by the mid-century-inspired ‘Jass’ (pictured above centre), a mid-century-inspired meandering pattern in a jacquard weave. ‘Atomic’ is a smaller-scale geometric weave, while ‘Ray’ was inspired by the glassware of Finnish brand Iittala, and the way that hand-blown glass plays with light and colour.
“It breaks from the core aesthetic of calm neutrals and quiet elegance,” said Erwin’s daughter, Kristine Erwin, introducing the collection as part of Focus/20’s virtual programme. “It’s all about spirit, energy and vigour – a vivacious celebration of pattern and colour, but balanced by rich, deep-textured upholsteries.” To complement this, Chase Erwin’s colour palette for its existing ‘Embrace’ and ‘Molecule’ fabrics has also been extended to include shades that tonally chime in with Jass‘s bolder direction.
Watch the full presentation here.
