About 4 years ago I came across some photos from
the then-new Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg. The design was incredible, the
anchoring restaurant looked terrific, but what really caught my eye was the
custom wallpaper: a nouveau toile (designed by Dan Funderburgh) featuring
illustrations that paid tribute to the industrial past of the historic hotel's
structure. That was the beginning of my obsession with modern toile (and
in case you're wondering how to say toile, it's pronounced twäl)…
Toile, or really Toile De Jouy, literally
translates to a cloth from Jouy-en-Josas, the French town where the printed
fabrics were first commercialized. The pattered style of linen or cotton, which
became in vogue during the 18th century, usually featured a bucolic country
setting, pastoral scene or contemporary mid-1700s life. The toile could
have floral motifs, maidens or heroes in typical landscapes, and
the colorways were often limited to red, blue, black or green.
Today the narrative of toile fabrics and
prints has grown. While there are still many contemporary companies who favor a
more traditional pattern, increasingly there are modern designers putting a twist
on the classic look. In the modern toile, the landscapes have been updated, the
colorways have expanded, prints incorporate more inclusive depictions of city
life, and some have even woven powerful social commentary into their work.
Toile is even inspring digital installations at LACMA!
Toile is even inspring digital installations at LACMA!
Here are some of my favorite toile, y'all!
xx,
Batya
Sheila Bridges' "Harlem Toile De Jouy" - a satirical piece that lampoons (some of) the stereotypes deeply woven into the African American experience.
Bay Area Toile by Matt Ritchie and JormaTaccone
featuring Too $hort, Humpty Hump and Mac Dre, Alice Waters, Joe
Montana, and Angela Davis.
I FLIPPED out when I saw this custom wallpaper at the Henry Howard Hotel in New Orleans. I lived in the city for 6 years and fell in love with this design faster than beads fly off a float during Mardi Gras! Here, take a closer look:
It was designed by Kathleen Fitzgerald and Lauren Kolesinkas.
Peacock
Toile available through Anthropologie
London Toile from Timorous Beasties
And more toile-centric design here:
Hazelnut New Orleans offers New
Orleans-centric fabrics like Magnolia and Cafe au Lait!
Spoonflower for more toile options at varying price points.
