ROBERT KAUFMAN Fabrics

    Robert Kaufman Pattern Design are my starting point of my research for this project. I am going to start talking about the history of the company and then about the fabrics and patterns themselves. This is a big company that join a lot of designers, pattern and fabric creators.

    Robert Kaufman, who was born in Russia in 1899, emigrated to the United States and settled in New York. Robert, like many other immigrants to America at the time, was willing to make a better life for himself and his family. Robert had achieved his goal as the owner of Meadowpark Clothes, a very popular menswear business, by the time he was in his young twenties.

    Sadly, just after market collapse of 1929, he saw his company go out of business. Robert persisted, and in 1942, he launched the business that operates today from a showroom on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The company survived a turbulent wartime economy as a jobber for men's suits and became a prosperous staple in the New York garment industry.

    Despite the fact that Robert had to basically start from scratch, his business thrived, and he worked as a jobber in Los Angeles for the next ten years. 

The company:

    Robert Kaufman Fabrics is a retailer and manufacturer of crochet fabrics and textiles. Retail & quilting, home decor, bridal, uniforms, and the fashion industry are only a few of the industries Robert Kaufman Fabrics supply fabric to. 

    Robert Kaufman Fabrics has a large selection of fabrics: 

1. cotton prints
2. novelty fabrics
3. yarn-dyes
4. poplin
5. twill
6. denim
7. corduroy
8. linen
9. canvas
10. crepe
11. voile
12. grass
13. satin
14. georgette
15. flannel
16. organza
17. chenille
18. stretch wovens
19. plaids
20. stripes

From my point of view, Robert Kaufman patterns are quite conservative. This is a company with a large number of designers and fabric makers so obviously, I identify myself more with some than with others.

My favourite designers:

Carolyn Friedlander: 

Leslie Tucker Jenison:

Ana Graham:

As I was saying, apart from the fact that the patterns are quite conservative, they do not have oriental origins or inspirations. Carolyn patterns are the closest for being oriental inspired. 

To complement this company, I decided to add a research so that I could join fabrics and patterns with oriental origins so that I can create a pattern more rebel and juvenile. I want to create a soft pattern with not too much information as I am going to create a shawl and I think it is an "old" piece, I want to create a more modern one.

Reference:

Robert Kaufman Fabrics: Quality Wholesale Fabrics for Quilting, Fashion and Manufacturing Since 1942. Available from :https://www.robertkaufman.com/about_robert_kaufman_fabrics/[Accessed 22/04/21]

Designers. Available from : https://www.robertkaufman.com/designers/ [Accessed 22/04/21].