It must be nice to work for Pierre Frey. Most companies in the mood for a brainstorming session would get the staff together over Zoom or around the table in some drab meeting room. The Paris design house, seeking inspiration for a new range of textiles, carpets and wallpapers, took the gang on a road trip to Provence, so they could soak up the sun and the atmosphere, experience the region with all their senses, and come back to the studio revitalised and raring to go.
This is a firm that has always trodden its own path. Founded during the interwar years, it made its name producing exuberant designs referencing everything from the belle époque to the Far East, with the resulting products all fabricated using time-honoured techniques. The combination of dazzling design and superb craftsmanship has elevated the business to the very highest end of French manufacturing (it’s a member of the Comité Colbert, alongside the likes of Hermès, Château d’Yquem and Givenchy, which promotes “la transmission d’une tradition et d’un savoir-faire” – the value of artisanal skills.
The original Pierre Frey, born in 1903, started out as a furniture polisher for an antiques dealer, before moving into millinery and fabrics. Today, the company is still family-owned, headed by Pierre’s son Patrick and his sons Pierre, Vincent and Matthieu. Patrick joined the business at 21 and took over the day-to-day running in 1969. In his time at the helm, the firm has acquired several heritage looms, such as Braquenié (an old Parisian carpet and textile manufacturer with an unrivalled archive of designs dating back to the 1820s), as well as the revered Fadini Borghi, Boussac and Le Manach.
Denne historien er fra July - August 2021-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
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Denne historien er fra July - August 2021-utgaven av Homes & Interiors Scotland.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Escape BOATH HOUSE
An inspirational Georgian manor house in the north-east offers sanctuary to artists, poets and the curious of spirit
Escape THE LOOKOUT
Sun-drenched interiors, right on the beach - it's hard to believe this is Scotland
"It still feels like home. Just nicer"
The owners of this house in Edinburgh didn't intend to give it a complete makeover, but once they started they just couldn't stop
A SCOTTISH LOVE STORY
You need passion to persevere through a lengthy restoration project. Thankfully for this rambling old lodge in Highland Perthshire, its new owners were already head over heels
CLEAN AND POLISH
Ten years in the making, this one-time dental surgery in Portobello has been reshaped as an elegant, practical family home
MEET THE MAKER RACHEL MACLELLAN
You might think the process is purely creative, but designing knitted textiles requires a deep understanding of geometry and pattern calculations. It is intricate and often mathematical. I have learned that knitting demands a constant balance between artistry and engineering. Creating a new textile involves not only selecting colours and yarns but also considering the tensile strength, elasticity and drape of the material. That way, I ensure the final product is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. To me, this blend of creativity and technical precision is a fascinating aspect of knitted textile design.
IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES
It's all in the details for this slick and multifunctional entertainment space
JUST A HINT OF PINK
This family-orientated Georgian kitchen gets an upgrade in both footprint and finish
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Beauty and the best of Scotland on the shores of Loch Ness
LAURA THOMAS
The environmentalist has become a very successful entrepreneur whose products are stocked by Scotland's best hotels