Vintage linens have resonated with me forever… I don’t mind a little wear and tear… it adds to the charm. When I unfold a beautifully laundered napkin, I see the hands that lovingly starched and folded… I envisioned the meals around the table… people laughing and chatting… enjoying their time together. French linen has a romance for me… the allure of times past and the opportunity to weave my own fantasy with it’s provenance. The French aren’t as enamoured with ‘second hand’ linen like me… and this would explain why there are so many old pieces for sale at the flea markets up and down the country.
In my early flea market days I would religiously search for my own initials… I found them only once… The combination of V and A was not a popular French combination… If I had been called Marie, Christine, Valerie or Edith I would have had much more luck. I gave up on my own letters and decided to collect for the beauty of the monogram, the detail of the embroidery and the quality of the linen… Our embroidered sheets and napkins have their own names now… and their own imaginary histories…
I have always stayed neutral… but as you can see from the photographs I took at Villeneuve-les-Avignon a few weeks ago… linens are changing colour…and our beloved ‘greige’ is taking a back seat… Dyed antique linens have been very popular on the Cote d’Azur for a few years now… especially the plum and the taupe shades… it would seem that the Provencal brocanteurs have started dipping too…
What do you think… Do you prefer the neutrals or are you ready for a little vibrancy? xv
If you want beautiful linen and your monogram of choice… Mark and Graham do it all…
Grosgrain Cocktail Napkins… Guest Towels… Dinner Napkins…
