Clothing brand Péro, who released a fabulously floral collection for Spring/Summer 2017 (featured in issue 77 of Selvedge), have now teamed up textile artist Barbara Madley and jeweller Pippa Small to launch a brand new exhibition in the heart of London.
With her company’s roots firmly planted in Indian soil, Péro’s founder Aneeth Arora keeps the handcrafts of the subcontinent alive and well in the 21st century. Since launching in 2008, her workshop in Dheli has produced a steady stream of playful yet sophisticated garments, most recently detailed with printed and embroidered flowers, crocheted accessories and handwoven stripes and lace.
Constantly inspired by what the world’s cultures have to offer, for this new show Aneeth has revisited her old travel journals to draw out the colours and textures of the countries she’s visited. Out of this work has come a vibrant collection of new details including hand-embroideries, neon tassels, vibrant pom poms and beaded hangings that decorate her new indigo clothing from Peru, Mexico, Guatemala and China.
Barbara Madley takes a similarly eclectic approach to fabric by uniting textile detritus such as discarded clothes, household linens and unfinished quilt tops into lively works of art. She experiments with pattern and colour by hand and machine sewing, serging, dyeing, bleaching, stretching, ripping and mending fabrics, paying homage to the life of cloth before each piece was discarded.
It’s no surprise that these two designers now come together at Pippa Small, whose own creations are so often about material origins, using jewellery as a way to tell stories of place. Launching on Wednesday this week, we recommend taking the trip to see all corners of the world come together in this rich and striking new show.
20 September, 6-8pm, 201 Westbourne Grove, W11 2 SB
Photography by Sara Kerens