Carnaby Street, London, 1960s - The Embroiderers` Guild NSW Inc.

Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
Carnaby Street, London, 1960s
Theme for the Craft & Quilt Fair June 2016
‘Carnaby Street, London, 1960s’ is the theme for the Embroiderers’ Guild
N.S.W.’s space at Expertise Events’ Craft & Quilt Fair, June 2016. The 1960s was
the era of the ‘youthquake’ and its centre was London. Carnaby Street in Soho
and King Street in Chelsea became famous for their fashion boutiques. Very
young independent British designers such as Mary Quant, Barbara Hulanicki
(Biba) and John Stephens were the first to design for the younger generation.
Their pared down youthful fashions went on to inspire European, American and
Australian designers.
Conceptually the Guild’s space will look like a ‘1960s fashion boutique’. Two
installations have been designed for this space and are open to all members of
the Guild.
This is a replica of Foale & Tuffin’s boutique in the exhibition of their work at
the Fashion & Textile Museum in London in 2009
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
Colour Palettes for the 1960s
Background
In all fields of 1960s design, colour was all important. Post World War II scientists had
created new Pop and Neon colours and the designers began juxtaposing colours in
ways never done before.
Emilio Pucci, the renowned fashion and textile designer, did much to advance colour
chemistry in the 20th century. He was a wealthy Italian aristocrat who could afford and
did travel to exotic places. He was particularly inspired by the very different colour
sensibilities associated with the non- European countries he visited. His own Italian
material culture and nature also informed his eccentric colour palettes. Pucci took
photographs while travelling to take to colour chemists in Italy to show them the
colours he wanted to use for his designed fabrics. Some of these colours did not exist
as printing inks or dyes, so he worked with these chemists to bring these colours to
fruition.
Brief
For both installations, Guild members can choose from the three different design
influences which dominated the decade. Each has its own distinctive colour palette/s.
Note: For all the following palettes, only DMC threads and Au Ver A Soie (AVAS)
threads were used to match the sources of inspiration. Au Ver A Soie provided closer
matches for some of the desaturated or the very vivid colours. You do not have to
work with these threads. However, if you wish to use the most vivid ‘hot pink’ or the
brightest magenta, then *AVAS 1033 and *AVAS 1043 respectively are for you. The
hues are not accurate in the photographs so the numbers and brands of the threads
have been listed beneath the photographs so that you can visually see these colours
in your collection or in an embroidery shop.
*AVAS 1033 and *AVAS 1043 is not stocked at all shops, but Crewel Gobelin most
definitely carry these two colours and will order in more should there be a run on these
colours. They do mail orders.
If you choose, for example, to work with the Pop Palette for the 1st installation, you
are not locked in to using it for the 2nd installation. The same applies if you are
presenting more than one work for an installation. However, only reference one
palette per work.
Note: there 24 Pop colours (over the two photographs), 13 Romantic colours
(one photograph) and 20 Bohemian Colours (over the two photographs).
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
1. Pop (Mod)
There are the obvious pairings associated with the 1960s – white and
black, blue and green and pink and orange. These pairings are vivid and at
full saturation. These appeared in Op Art paintings in the 1960s. Saturated
colours were used in Pop Art as well, but they were usually combined with
desaturated colours (ie saturated colours that have been muted by the
addition of white, black or their complements).
1960s Pucci Ties in Pop Colours
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
The colour palette for Pop (Mod) has been derived from these 1960s Pucci Ties.
This palette is to be used as a guide if working with the Pop (Mod) Design
Influence for submissions in either or both installations.
Left to Right: AVAS 1343, DMC 310, DMC Blanc, DMC 608, DMC 606, AVAS 1311,
AVAS 3316, *AVAS 1043 A, AVAS 1325, *AVAS 1033 and AVAS 1034
Left to Right: DMC 3894, DMC 3812, AVAS 233, DMC 964, AVAS 202, AVAS 4911, DMC 799,
DMC 211, DMC 154, DMC 900, DMC 754, DMC 307, AVAS 3545
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
2. Romantic
This palette is dark and sombre in comparison to the bright and light
colours of the Pop palette. Barbara Hulanicki (of Biba fame) favoured this
palette. According to her she adored plum, mulberry, prune, brown and
purple because they were Art Nouveau colours. Black and gold were also
signature colours for Biba.
1960s Liberty Ties for Mr Fish
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
The colour palette for Romantic has been derived from these 1960s Liberty Ties.
This palette is to be used as a guide if working with the Romantic Design
Influence for submissions in either or both installations.
Left to Right: DMC 310, DMC Blanc, DMC 814, AVAS 1343, DMC 820, DMC 932,
DMC 3778, DMC 3888, DMC 414, AVAS 4641, DMC 3803, AVAS 202 and DMC 945
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
3. Bohemian
Most of the colours in this palette are rich and jewel-like. They have high
colour saturation. There is a tradition of using these colours in religious
art, folk art and in national costumes and textiles. In the latter half of the
1960s, designers who were influenced by the Hippie Movement, began to
explore colour, patterns and textures in textiles from Far Eastern and
Middle Eastern cultures. Thea Porter was the most significant of these
designers. Her entire childhood was spent in the Middle East, so inevitably
she was enamoured with the colourful and luxurious embroidered textiles
and traditional garments of Syria and Turkey.
Thea Porter Garments
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Embroiderers’ Guild N.S.W.
The colour palette for Bohemian has been derived from these 1960s Thea
Porter garments. This palette is to be used as a guide if working with the
Bohemian Design Influence for submissions in either or both installations.
Left to Right: AVAS 2924, AVAS 1033, *AVAS 1034, *AVAS 1043, DMC 606, DMC 608,
DMC 307, AVAS 622 and AVAS 2916 B
Left to Right: DMC 310, DMC Blanc, DMC 3891, DMC 3846, DMC 3812, DMC 791,
AVAS 3316, AVAS 4102, AVAS 163 B, AVAS 3733 B and AVAS 202
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