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Since 1935, Edward Fields has captured the imagination of designophiles around the world with an ever-growing collection of luxury floor coverings. The latest collection, “On-the-Fringe,” began as a rediscovery of the original, highly-skilled, hand-tufted craft that formed at the company’s inception. What resulted was a modern interpretation of captivating archival works. I sat down with the masterminds behind the collection, Design Director Juliana Polastri, and Senior Collection Designer Ariana Massouh, of Edward Fields, to find out just a bit more about what inspired the bold, chromatic, handcrafted designs from “On-the-Fringe.”
DOWNTOWN: What brought about the idea of reinventing Edward Fields’ archival designs?
Juliana Polastri: Edward Fields has an extraordinarily rich archive that dates back several decades, and we find endless inspiration each time we revisit it.
DOWNTOWN: Tell us about the collection’s name, “On-the-Fringe”: What inspired it?
Ariana Massouh: In keeping with the brand’s spirit, we chose a play on words inspired by the innovative use of fringes in this collection.
DOWNTOWN: How many designs make up the collection and how would you describe them?
Ariana Massouh: There are eleven compositional designs, and one repeating design in the collection (“Primitif”), for a total of twelve. The designs are abstract geometrics with bold, graphic shapes.
DOWNTOWN: How did you improve upon the designs. What new methods were you able to implement to add more depth to the archival prints?
Juliana Polastri: We curated this selection from patterns created between the 1960s and the 1980s. We updated them by utilizing new techniques with loose movable threads and voided canvases.
DOWNTOWN: What was the process like in looking through the archives? How did you choose which patterns you wanted to focus on?
Juliana Polastri: Choosing pieces from our archive is one of the most exciting aspects of the process. It is a truly collaborative experience between design and our experienced sales force. It’s a privilege to have access to so many timeless historical pieces. We chose pieces that we knew could be elevated with the fringe techniques that we aimed to utilize.
DOWNTOWN: What are your favorite patterns, and why?
Ariana Massouh: My favorite changes by the day! Today it is“Emergence” – the symmetry and delicacy of the lines in the original always draws me in, and we loved challenging the symmetry in the updated version by varying the pile heights of the luxurious silks, and adding the varied lengths of fringes. We added the touches of silver metallic thread in ground for a little added sparkle.
Juliana Polastri: It is always so hard to choose just one favorite. Mine is “Rebound” – the resolution of the composition is perfection! The way that our artisans masterfully tufted the concentric lines is admirable and gives the illusion of infinity.
DOWNTOWN: I am little bit obsessed with Allegory. If you could place this design anywhere, where would it be?
Ariana Massouh: We too are obsessed with Allegory. We were thrilled after seeing it surrounded by floor-to-ceiling window views of the city when we shot our catalogue in the Chelsea gallery district. We utilized vintage mid-century furniture pieces paired with contemporary art pieces.
DOWNTOWN: Do you see yourselves collaborating on another project? If so, what’s next?
Juliana Polastri: Ariana and I are fortunate enough to work together on every collection development project, so there is a lot more to come! In February, we are very excited to launch a hand-knotted collection entitled “Flourish” for Tai Ping, with original floral photography inspired rugs.
DOWNTOWN: What is it like working on a collection for Edward Fields?
Ariana Massouh: It is an absolute honor to be entrusted with one of the most iconic American design brands of the last century. We work with a passionate team that truly enjoys collaborating with our clients in such a large spectrum of residential, aviation, and yacht projects.
