Age Old Youngster: Give Me Liberty...Fabrics

New Season Liberty Fabrics

For all you fabric freaks out there Liberty London has just launched its new season A/W 13 range. Liberty Art Fabrics are always beautiful but this collection seems to be taking a different turn to the usual ditsy florals. It is inspired by the epic poem The Earthly Paradise by William Morris, the prologue is below.


OF Heaven or Hell I have no power to sing,
I cannot ease the burden of your fears,
Or make quick-coming death a little thing,
Or bring again the pleasure of past years,
Nor for my words shall ye forget your tears,	5
Or hope again for aught that I can say,
The idle singer of an empty day.

But rather, when aweary of your mirth,
From full hearts still unsatisfied ye sigh,
And, feeling kindly unto all the earth,	10
Grudge every minute as it passes by,
Made the more mindful that the sweet days die—
—Remember me a little then I pray,
The idle singer of an empty day.

The heavy trouble, the bewildering care	15
That weighs us down who live and earn our bread,
These idle verses have no power to bear;
So let me sing of names remembered,
Because they, living not, can ne’er be dead,
Or long time take their memory quite away	20
From us poor singers of an empty day.

Dreamer of dreams, born out of my due time,
Why should I strive to set the crooked straight?
Let it suffice me that my murmuring rhyme
Beats with light wing against the ivory gate,	25
Telling a tale not too importunate
To those who in the sleepy region stay,
Lulled by the singer of an empty day.

Folk say, a wizard to a northern king
At Christmas-tide such wondrous things did show,	30
That through one window men beheld the spring,
And through another saw the summer glow,
And through a third the fruited vines a-row,
While still, unheard, but in its wonted way,
Piped the drear wind of that December day.	35

So with this Earthly Paradise it is,
If ye will read aright, and pardon me,
Who strive to build a shadowy isle of bliss
Midmost the beating of the steely sea,
Where tossed about all hearts of men must be;	40
Whose ravening monsters mighty men shall slay,
Not the poor singer of an empty day.

Morris' episodic poem shows fairy tale and ancient mythology inspiration. This influence can be seen in a lot of the fabric prints.

Branch Flower D - Liberty Art Fabrics

Not so much in others.

Hunter Trunk A - Liberty Art fabrics

Not sure how many trucks there were in Ancient Greece.

Still, it's nice to see Liberty mixing it up a bit. As well as The Earthly Paradise, the designers of the fabric also took influence from "Icelandic adventures, audio prints, tattoos on Tana Lawn, almost edible conversationals and fragrant florals." A pretty eclectic mix but then this is an eclectic collection, ranging from detailed peacocks to colour block houses.