Mary Queen Of Prints
Fashion designer Mary Katrantzou’s new rugs for The Rug Company
Mary Katrantzou became a sensation the moment her fashion designs debuted on the catwalk at her graduation show. Industry eyes were on the Central Saint Martins Fashion MA graduating class of 2008 thanks to alumni such as John Galliano, Stella McCartney and Lee ‘Alexander’ McQueen. All at once, she secured elite stockists for her trompe l’oeil prints of oversized jewellery on dresses, started her own label, spawned countless imitations and earned the lasting moniker ‘Queen Of Prints’.
Today, Athens-born, London-based Mary is an internationally successful fashion designer who has recently launched a collaboration with The Rug Company. Entitled ‘A Life In Pattern’, it features two rug designs, in two colourways, capturing the magic and movement of her clothes gliding down a catwalk. “By drawing inspiration from our archival prints, our intention is to create beautiful rugs that resemble works of art and permeate a sense of timelessness in one’s space,” she says.
Inspired by Mary’s autumn/winter 2019 collection, which examined the elements of earth, air, fire and water, the ‘Feather Marble’ design sees swathes of ombré tones moving rhythmically across the rug. Earthy notes and deep purple hues feature in the Maroon colourway, whilst a lighter palette of blues and neutrals are chosen for the Midnight version.
The beauty of spontaneity is explored in the ‘Splatter’ rug, with a nod to
Jackson Pollock. It is available in the unashamedly joyous Bright colourway, and Silver with a spectrum of grey tones and silk accents, harking back to her autumn/winter 2013 collection which highlighted form and shape over colour.
“People think I’m a maximalist at heart because I work with so much colour, pattern and texture,” says Mary. “But I’m more of a purist, in that pattern and form need to come together. The rug collection was looking back at a huge archive of print and trying to figure out what would translate the best in interiors, and specifically in a rug. It was interesting to take patterns that were mapped around a silhouette and look at them when they are freed from that, when pattern can live alone in its purest form. It’s so incredible to look at the craftsmanship of something being done knot by knot by knot and the intricacy of these pieces.”
Woven by The Rug Company’s expert craftspeople using fine Tibetan wool and silk, the rugs are fully customisable and can be made as wall-to-wall and runners. This is Mary’s second collaboration with The Rug Company, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. therugcompany.com ►