Behind the brand: Bennison Fabrics

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