Sketch Series: Peter Gomez

At Sleep + Eat in November we had the exclusive opportunity to see a preview of Zoffany’s latest collection, Zoffany Icons.  We spoke with Peter Gomez, Head of Design for the Zoffany studio, about the design and development process behind the collection. 

Zoffany Icons was launched alongside all Style Library Brand SS19 collections at Heimtextil last week.

In this months Sketch Series we will see how Zoffany’s archive can form the basis of a new collection which is spot on trend for 2019.  This is also our first Sketch Series article where our designer doesn’t sketch, read on to find out why!   

Zoffany is is a company imbued with a passion for art and luxury that has seen them emerge over the past three decades as one of the fastest growing and most respected brands in luxury interiors.  Zoffany’s sophisticated approach draws on many different sources, including innovative technology, contemporary design and their own historical archive. Zoffany is the careful custodians of a remarkable archive, painstakingly assembled from around the world via auctions and donations from their customers. 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name’s Peter Gomez and I’m head of design for the Zoffany studio.  I’ve worked for Zoffany for 13 years.  My background is in screen print, I studied in London and my core skills are working with machinery, working with print and working with designers in creating new designs from processes.

Could you tell us a little bit about the collection that you’re launching in January and the design process behind it?

We’re launching Zoffany Icons, it’s a real celebration of design in itself!  We wanted to create a collection which celebrated each individual design to stand up on its own.

For the last three years Zoffany has been working with the Alchemy of Colour, which is a whole new color range, and we wanted this collection in particular to work with everything we’ve produced in those three years, and be a stand alone collection. 

We have worked from original documents, such as our own hundred year old modernist Bauhaus design, paired with iconic designs from Zoffany’s archive and we also created new designs in the studio.  We really wanted this collection to be a celebration of design.  

When we work with archive design we didn’t redrew them, if something has has gravitas and a heritage to it, we won’t try to redesign it, we’ll try to celebrate it’s natural design sense and then we will also then create new designs to sit with it.  For example we started with an actual document from 1928 and we wanted to recreate this in exactly the original way. This design has been printed in the U.K, in our own factory, so it’s championing British manufacturing.

When it’s a new piece of artwork we hand paint it in our studio, so this design is a very free sketch.

For this design we we’re celebrating a hundred years of Art Deco with an art deco block print, we’ve been very faithful to the archive and then interpreted it as an embroidery.

What did you personally enjoy the most about working on this collection?

Actually it was the design research.  It was really interesting to look at what the Bauhaus centenary meant for this modernist movement and working with museums in France to source original documents.  I also enjoyed making it all work together within the brand, so it’s been a really fun collection to work on!

Were there any environmental considerations when working on this collection?

With all of our work we consider the environment.  We try to source as ethically as possible, we’re very fortunate to have our two wallpaper and printing factories within the U.K. so, within those two factories we have a very high ecological ethos as well as championing British manufacturing.

SPECIFICATIONS: 

Culturally significant designs meet exquisite techniques in Zoffany icons, an influential capsule collection new for Spring/Summer 2019.  Celebrating some of the most exceptional design influences of recent time, Zoffany Icons features a divine curation of standout weaves, embroideries and prints, representing different cultures and eras.

Each of the 11 stunning fabrics that make up this collection have been chosen for their individual merit, with hero designs from famous art houses sitting alongside inspiration from France, Japan and Africa. Distinctive new designs reside confidently amongst archive pieces from the Zoffany library, where breath-taking representations on the finest fabrics showcase a masterclass in technique.

Crafted in a concise colour line, Icons works seamlessly with all Zoffany Alchemy of Colour tones, from the mineral subtleties of Quartz Grey and Zinc to the jewel like riches of Tiger’s Eye and Lazuli.

Zoffany’s head of design, Peter Gomez says, “Our SS19 collection pays homage to a range of leading design influences such as Bauhaus and the 1920s, both of which are approaching their centenary. Combined with cultural elements and a selection of Zoffany’s own archive designs, this collection shares a delightful contrast between old and new, proving that iconic design always has a place amongst exceptional interiors”.

To complement Zoffany Icons, the Zephyr Plains book offers a fabulous range of tactile, 100% brushed cotton fabrics. Available in a range of 25 colours, each expertly coordinating with Zoffany Icon’s fabrics, Zephyr Plains provides an excellent alternative to velvet.

The launch comprises two books: Icons Fabrics (which incorporates prints, embroideries and weaves) and Zephyr Plains.

Contact Zoffany