Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 17, 1963, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press indoors and out Bomer to comics books cooking Winnipeg saturday August 17, 1963 inventive designer inspired by Sands of the Sahara primitive african huts by Lois Hagen fabric panels separated by Wood strips cover one Wall in this dining room. The Pat Tarn tailed baroque Stripe is part of the Tivoli collection designed by Jack Larson of new York. The fabric is Cotton velvet treated for spot resistance. Furnishings Are scandinavian of North America s leading trend setters in the Home furnishings Field is fabric designer and Weaver Jack Lenor Larsen 35, new York City. Although his designs Are mainly for fabrics in the High priced decorator Cate gory their influence is Felt in All Price ranges since they Are copied almost As fast As they come off the drawing Board. But the energetic inventive designer seems to have Little trouble keeping ahead of his imitators. New ideas pour Forth from his Manhattan studio even before the earlier ones Are on the Market. Larsen not Only draws his inspiration from All Over the world but beginning this Spring he will be spreading is own influence Over a Large portion of the Globe. Last month he opened a studio in Zurich Switzerland to manufacture and distribute fabrics of his design to the International Market. Distributors have been named in four countries and 10 cities and plans Are under Way to add branches in four other countries. Lai sen predicts that the next important fabrics trend in both apparel fashions and the Home will emerge from West and South Africa. He has visited these areas twice in a year to study colors textures and native techniques. His first group of african inspired fabrics was introduced to Interior designers in Chicago during the january furniture Market to the tune of Bongo Drums and native music. The second half of the collection will be unveiled this fall. The african designs now available in clude four primitive prints and three weaves produced in this country for upholstery and drapery and a group of mohair casement drapery and Bedspread fabrics Handwoven in Swaziland. Colors in this collection Are the most unusual yet produced by Larsen who is known for his unique coloration. They include the Earth red of the Sand that blows South from the Sahara luxuriant Jungle greens Brilliant and off beat blues found in the painted decoration on primitive huts and the purple of the berries that grow High in the african Trees. Some of the Floral prints Are reminiscent of Henri Rousseau s paintings. One weave was inspired by tapestry Woven strip fabrics done in the Remote villages of Ghana. Larsen has avoided the animal theme except in one print in which a keen observer can find a pair of lion eyes peeping through foliage. Most expensive of the group Are the mohair drapery weaves hand spun and hand Woven in Swaziland. Seventy two inches wide they sell at retail for Between and a Yard. Another recent enthusiasm of Larsen s is scandinavian design. One of his latest coif sections is named Tivoli for the famed amusement Park in Copenhagen Denmark ;