Lucienne Day: in the Spirit of the Age

Lucienne Day was part of a new generation of designers who came to the forefront of the British textile industry in the immediate post-war period. Setting a new standard in originality and quality, both in Britain and abroad, she believed that good design should be mass produced for the many and not just the few, and that it could improve the lives of ordinary people. Though designing primarily for textiles, she successfully moved into other areas of design such as patterns for carpets, ceramics and wallpaper. Lucienne Day had an independent spirit as a designer and was sharp, hardworking and had strong ideas about all aspects of design. Her breakthrough pattern 'Calyx', which is now considered to be an iconic 20th-century textile design, was first shown at the Festival of Britain in 1951. Day maintained her position as one of the most important designers for over 25 years and was one of the first designers to be recognized internationally for her work both in Britain and abroad. This beautifully illustrated book brings together the many aspects of the work of Lucienne Day, in textiles, wallpaper, carpets and ceramics from both Britain and Europe.
Andrew Casey, who first interviewed Lucienne Day at her home in Cheyne Walk, London in 1993, has uncovered previously unpublished material from the Lucienne Day Archives and the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation. He has also interviewed members of Lucienne's family, including her daughter Paula, as well as Lucienne's design associates, members of her staff and specialist museum curators in the UK and overseas. The book features a range of illustrations, archive photography and beautiful examples of Lucienne Day's original artwork for both textiles and carpet design, as well as pattern book illustrations for her ceramic designs. A short essay by Karen Conradi, Lucienne Day's niece, who worked with the designer on her silk mosaics for 16 years, adds further insight.