Launched in 1985, Bennison Fabrics is the brainchild of Gilly Newbury, who once worked as the textiles assistant to the esteemed interior designer and antiques dealer Geoffrey Bennison.
‘Geoffrey had a huge collection of textile designs based on original French and English fabrics from the 18th and 19th centuries and I was looking for a way to extend them. I gradually added designs from the same period, and we now launch between six and eight patterns a year,’ she says.
Although Bennison is famed for beautiful, muted florals, the company also caters for those with more contemporary tastes. ‘We’ve up-scaled a couple of designs and recoloured in bright tones, such as shocking pinks and tangerines,’ says Gilly. All designs are overseen by Alex McIntyre – who also used to work with Geoffrey – and production is based near London. ‘We’re incredibly proud that we’re still making in the UK and wouldn’t ever consider moving elsewhere’.
020 7730 8076; bennisonfabrics.com