Alice Kennedy must have something we really like. In the past few weeks, we've received not one, not two, but three of her lines designed for Timeless Treasures. While Momo tickles your cutesy fancy and Poppy Lane revs the black, white & red combo, Berkeley finds its inspiration in the bright colors and prints of the 1960s and 70s. We invited Alice to tell us more about her inspiration and creative process today!
I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue an artistic career, and have always loved vintage fabrics, which still influence my designs today. I spent my childhood in Indianapolis and Northern Arizona, then headed east to attend Rhode Island School of Design where I studied painting and printmaking. After graduation I moved to Berkeley, CA, where I started my career in fabric design at Zazou Scarves. After a couple of years of traveling to New York on business trips, I was ready to take the leap and give the Big Apple a try. I landed at Echo Scarves where I worked with clients like Talbot's, Gap, and Jones NY. I started working for Timeless Treasures in 2001, and it has been a great place for me to grow as a designer. The variety of projects we work on keeps things interesting, and I work with a great team of people.
My collections start with vintage fabric designs, mostly from the 60's & 70's. I then try to develop a color palette that is current and what I see "happening". The great thing about working in NY, especially the Soho neighborhood where TT's office is located, is the seemingly endless sources of inspiration nearby. I also subscribe to interior design magazines, catalogs, and blogs regularly to keep up on trends. I have been lucky enough to travel to London, Paris and Japan to shop for inspiration. I always keep my eyes open, because you never know what will spark a new idea!
"Berkeley" started with a dress - an amazing handmade embroidered dress from the 60's. The print on the dress and the colors gave me a feeling of what the rest of the group should be, then it was a matter of finding just the right coordinating prints. The peacock colorway was created after seeing some trends develop in the interiors marketplace. The fun prints and colors lend themselves to fashion items like handbags, skirts, girls' dresses, aprons, and bedding, maybe for a crib or girl's room. I am very excited about my new collections for Spring, including "Berkeley", "Poppy Lane", and "Momo".
As a girl I learned to sew from my grandmother, and I usually have a project or two in the works, either sewing, knitting, or crochet. I love hunting around flea markets, garage and estate sales, and second hand shops looking for vintage fabrics, illustrations, wallpapers or paintings...anything that I can potentially incorporate into future fabric collections.
These days I am busy designing new collections for Timeless Treasures for October Market, including a line of organic cottons, spending time with my 16 month old son Rowan and my husband Scott, and awaiting our second child's arrival in early June!
Alice Kennedy
Musings and ideas:
http://alicekennedydesign.blogspot.com/
More Alice Kennedy Fabrics:
http://alicekennedydesign.comLabels: Timeless Treasures Fabrics
