Building on the immense success of the 2019 Vignettes collection, Kendall Wilkinson and Fabricut knew they wanted to embark on a third collection. Launched this spring, this latest vignette collection is all about the small details. Directly inspired by Kendall’s love of fashion and travel, this collection offers a modern interpretation of traditional motifs rooted in geometrics and botanical-inspired designs. Kendall and Millie Hammond, Design Director of Fabricut, join us for this week’s Anatomy of a Design to discuss the collaboration.
Raymond Paul Schneider: When did you first start to develop this new collection?
Millie: Since we have collaborated on a previous collection, the start of this one was not so defined. We had our first official meeting in early 2022, but Kendall and I were working on concepts before that, sharing ideas back and forth, not knowing exactly what we would turn into, but exploring initial concepts.
Kendall: I knew that I wanted to create a collection that felt a bit more feminine and embraced colors like pinks, peaches, and lavenders that were not prominent in the 2019 offering. I also really wanted to continue with trim, which was introduced in the 2019 collection. I always look towards fashion, and trim is the perfect textile addition.
RPS: What was the overall timeline from conception to achieving the final design?
Kendall: We started formally working on the collection in May 2022, honing our inspiration into various buckets of ideas until we started to see patterns, and the designs began to flow quickly and consistently.
Millie: I often travel to various textile shows like Heimtextil, Germany. I love to discover new weaves, materials, and techniques. Knowing I was embarking on another collection with Kendall, I looked for inspiration to bring back to our meetings. Ultimately, after the development, prototyping, sampling, and marketing shoots, we launched January 2024 in Paris Deco-Off, followed by Spring High Point Market in April.
The collection has been curated into three books (left to right): Crystal Spring (neutrals + soft blues), Daybreak (violets + pinks), and Sapphire Forest (blues + greens).
RPS: What was your initial inspiration, and where did the idea(s) come from?
Kendall: Just like my interior design projects, inspiration is often organic, taken from inspiring travels, colors, textures, and even fragrances, which can trigger a surge of creativity. I sat with Mille and Fabricut to discuss what they were looking for in the marketplace and areas we should focus on, pairing that with steering towards what would be received well and ultimately sell.
The broad inspiration of color was then catapulted into action after I fell head-over-heels in love with Blake Lively’s dynamic color-changing gown at the 2022 Met Gala designed by Versace. It was riveting and encapsulated colors that were in my head – pinks, peach, citrus orange, and that magnificent turquoise blue. Then, deep into the design, I was in Paris for Deco-Off in January 2023, entrenched in the Monet-Mitchell Exhibit at Fondation Louis Vuitton. The use of color and the parings, especially the greens and blues, deeply ignited my inspiration.
RPS: Please describe your overall creative and design process.
Millie: Kendall brought many photos of nature that she had taken while traveling and had categorized them into various concepts, for example, sacred geometry, botanicals, and the changing earth; some of the photos were the starting points for our designs. We combined this with Fabricut’s market analysis and Kendall’s expertise and amazing taste to guide our designs and decisions. Also, Kendall’s passion for couture fashion was of great inspiration and a constant guidepost for the collection. Kendall and Sharon Cash, Director of Trimming, created both avant-garde trimmings and new classics.
RPS: Did you have a specific audience or theme in mind?
Kendall: The collection has an elegant, refined undertone and was created to appeal to various styles and aesthetics. Its softly detailed patterns and hues synchronize with the bolder, more vivid looks. While curating this collection to suit any space, we also wanted to be selective with each fabric and trimming to ensure a cohesive experience for the designer. Ultimately, I aimed to create patterns and textures that could be easily incorporated and perfect for any interior design style.
Millie: This collection is meant for everyone. We tried to make it universal with touches of femininity and masculinity. We also paired everything back to make it elegant and refined.
RPS: Please describe the methods, tools, and materials you used to develop and prototype this design.
Millie: When creating any collection, we can buy textile documents from various eras and countries, reimagine them for modern-day use, or create new artwork designed just for us. We translated several patterns such as “Botanical Forest” and “Alice’s Wonderland” from Kendall’s nature photos and paired innovative weave and print techniques with the right art to create this magical textile collection.
RPS: Describe your overall brand DNA and Ethos
Kendall: Kendall Wilkinson Design aims to fashion together interiors that elicit an emotional response. To see the embedded human touch within each space. To experience a room’s tactile nature through quality and comfort. Above all else, I want to feel soulfully connected to the materials, the craftsmanship, and, ultimately, the loved ones who will gather within these homes. Through the luxury lens, we bring unparalleled design knowledge to each project—spaces that speak personally to the people who call them home.
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