Blog
Jenny Wingfield, Flock
Flock was established in 2013, driven by the desire to discover and nurture the best of new British design. Lead by creative director Jenny Wingfield, Flock works with an eclectic mix of artists, designers and recent graduates to create a bold and beautiful collection of textiles for interiors.
When did you start Flock and what drove you to set up on your own?
The idea for Flock was formed in 2012 and we launched our first collection in 2013. I used to work in the Furnishing Fabrics department at Liberty and became increasingly bored by the similarities and repetition of the collections that the big fabric houses were producing and wanted to be able to offer our Liberty clients something exciting and different. After an inspiring trip to the New Designers show and seeing so much incredible work, I was determined to get this seen by the world and into the mainstream market. As well as supporting and promoting the work of young graduates the plan for Flock was to offer a new collection to market- something fresh and uninfluenced.
How do you find new designers and are what different disciplines are they from?
This is my most favourite part of the job! I visit universities and graduate shows to discover exciting work that can be developed into textiles- this can come from many different places and starting points. Quite often I might spot a sketch, a weave or embroidery that I think could be exciting to explore, develop, repeat and turn into a print. Most recently Instagram has been an amazing source for me, this platform becomes like a portfolio for people to just try ideas, thoughts that are in an unfinished form and within this I can find something intriguing to develop.
What are your three favourite graduate shows to visit?
Brighton, Leeds and Glasgow School of Art
How long can it take from initial discovery of a design to finished fabric?
AGES!! I end up sampling the designs a lot, changing base cloth, pattern scale etc and I agonize over colour choices so it can often take months to develop and feel like the new fabric is right and works coherently in the Flock collection. As each of the fabrics is by a different designer this is a really important process to make sure the collection is fluent without feeling too matched.
What is important to you about the traceability of your fabric, also the environmental concerns over dyes etc?
I think it is incredibly important to be ecologically responsible wherever possible, it is a world wide concern and something that our clients consider too. We use advanced digital printing methods that produce less wastage and consume less water than traditional methods and we print here in the UK supporting British manufacture.
What new designs are you particularly excited about that are in development?
As well as new fabrics that we are producing I am very excited about our expanding product range! We have been working on a series of printed furniture pieces as well as throws, wallpaper and an extra exciting rug collaboration with the fantastic Floor Story. Transferring the designs to different surfaces and mediums is fascinating to see how the patterns respond and transform. It also opens us up to different clients who may love the collection but only want a little statement piece for their home.
Where can we see Flock at this months London Design Festival?
We will be taking over the window at Search and Rescue N16 to showcase our most recent furniture collaboration with Métier Concept- printed plywood tables. We have also recently been appointed as the latest addition to Sofa Workshop’s impressive fabric collection and they will be launching a range of furniture in our SS16 designs in store during design week.
At Tent in the Truman Brewery we will be displaying our Flocktail furniture and cushion collection as part of the Eporta stand within the show. We will also be launching the new rug design with Floor Story at Design Junction in granary Square, Kings Cross.
Furniture collaboration with Métier Concept.
To what extend to you respond to trends, not just in textiles but in fashion and design?
I visit a lot of exhibitions- art, fashion, design, textiles and so I guess I am inherently influenced by what is out in the world when choosing the Flock collection. But mostly I find that it is in the universities and degree shows where trends are being formed and so naturally the Flock collection becomes quite trend forward. To me it is more important to have longevity to a design, choosing work that is more classic, irrelevant of season, gender or trend.