Bernhardt Design has collaborated with Anabela Chan to create a new upholstery textile collection, to be presented during London Design Festival 2016.

Jerry Helling, President of Bernhardt Design, initiated the partnership, having been inspired by Chan’s jewellery shop. During the past 12 years, Helling has assembled a creative team that has positioned Bernhardt Design as one of the leading international design companies with a roster of talent that includes: Ross Lovegrove, Arik Levy and Jaime Hayon.

Exotic travel and nature provide the foundation of Chan’s inspiration for her jewellery, sculpture and artwork. She has collected unusual birds, rare butterflies and beetle specimens for over a decade and works with local entomologists from Argentina to Brazil and China to Thailand. Her appreciation of the world’s natural wonders, combined with her architectural precision, enables her to conceive objects that have organic appeal yet disciplined restraint.

Translating her experience to woven textile design was a logical step in her creative journey.  “I was surprised when Jerry asked me to design fabric, because he had no idea of my background in architecture and couture textiles. So although it is quite different from my jewellery brand, it felt like a perfect project and progression for me,” says Chan.

“My jewellery is very descriptive and often tells a story, an entire fairy tale that you can hold in the palm of your hand. Creating a universal textile is about taking only the essence of your idea and imagining it in the simplest form – where it only hints at the subject rather than describes it,” she adds.

The five designs include: Monarch, inspired by butterfly wings; Feather, with irregular colour distribution to emulate movement; Facet, inspired by selecting loose gemstones; Opal, a solid fabric with occasional silver flecks for depth; and Pearl, woven from soft, heathered polyester.

www.bernhardtdesign.com