20th Century Pattern Design

Pattern design has flourished throughout the 20th century. From the flamboyance of Art Nouveau at the end of the 19th century, to the computer-generated digital images created at the turn of the millennium, each new generation has evolved their own distinctive approach to pattern design. Tracing the creative cross-fertilization between fashion and interiors, the book provides a chronological account of the proliferation of pattern design. Highlighting the decisive trends that emerged in each decade, the book draws attention to the achievements of progressive manufacturers and ground-breaking designers, charting the emergence of a series of pattern design superpowers in various countries at different moments in time. The book combines full colour photographs, many published for the first time, with a well-researched and informative text to create a resource for modern design enthusiasts and design historians alike. The book can also serve a a sourcebook for students and designers.

About the Author

Lesley Jackson is a freelance writer and curator specialisting in 20th-century design, and the author of three highly acclaimed studies of the post-war period: The New Look – Design in the Fifties (1991); ‘Contemporary’ Architecture and Interiors of the 1950s (1994); The Sixties – Decade of Design Revolution (1998). A regular contributor to magazines and newspapers, including The Independent and Crafts, she is also an expert on international modern glass. Her books in this field include Whitefriars Glass – The Art of James Powell & Sons (1996), and 20th Century Factory Glass (2000). Here most recent Mitchell Beazley publication, Robin and Lucienne Day – Pioneers of Contemporary Design (2001), accompanied a highly successful exhibition that she curated at the Barbican Art Gallery, London. In 2001 she also curated a major international touring exhibition for the British Council called ‘Home Sweet Home – Contemporary British Design for the Home’.