LIBERTY OF LONDON ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LIBERTY ART FABRICS

A few years ago when we were still living in England, Cornwall to be specific, my son, Branko, and a friend were visiting from the states for the Christmas/New Year holidays. I was in heaven! We decided to go to London to celebrate the New Year, but the point is what we did on January 1……shop, of course. We were each to go our own way and later to meet up back at the hotel. I headed straight to Liberty, Liberty of London, the fabric department. That would take the day. A couple hours later, someone tapped my shoulder; I turned around and there was Branko! I asked him however in the world he managed to find me since I hadn’t mentioned where I was headed. “Mom, where else would you be in London other than in the fabrics at Liberty?” Well said.

So let’s talk about Liberty of London, one of the greatest places on earth. We all know and love the wonderful Tana lawn in tiny floral prints which forever will be the essence of Liberty for me. But this store is so much more. Here are a few comments taken from their website:



Liberty is not a name above the door, it’s Arthur Liberty’s legacy, which stands for integrity, value, quality and above all beautifully designed product. This vision and spirit continues today within the iconic Tudor building. In 1874, Arthur Liberty, having obtained a ₤ 2000 pound loan, decided to start a business of his own, believing that he could change the look of home wares and fashion. The shop opened in 1875 selling ornaments, fabric and objets d'art from Japan and the East. Within eighteen months Arthur Liberty had repaid the loan and acquired the second half of 218 Regent Street. As the business grew, neighboring properties were bought and added.

Through the years, Liberty has grown expanded, and has always maintained its standard of excellence. In 1975 Liberty celebrated its centenary. This was heralded by a major exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.


Today Liberty is the leading destination store in London, a wonderful emporium where the latest fashions sit alongside design classics. It is fascinating to read its history.

Now, the really exciting part for us is a new line,             “Liberty Art Fabrics”, which I feel to be an exquisite addition to the current fabric industry. It is cooperation between Liberty and Westminster Fibers. Patterns have been pulled from the Liberty archives and color guru, Kaffe Fassett has applied his genius to bring these patterns back to life with contemporary eclectic color treatment.

We have ordered heavy; these designs are superbly beautiful. There are a few already in the shop and several more are promised for imminent arrival. They are/will be offered on our website, www.jfffabrics.com as well as in the shop. You owe it to yourself to check these out! And the next time you are in London, let me know, we’ll meet in the fabric department at Liberty’s!