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Jennifer Sergent

Freelance design writer + blogger | Marketing copywriter

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Local Textile Design: Marika Meyer; Mira Jean

November 8, 2016

It’s becoming easier to stay right at home in the DC region to find all manner of bespoke furnishings, artwork, wallpaper, tile—and textile design. I never cease to be impressed by our local talent.

Most recently, my designer friend Marika Meyer (and Bethesda resident) has launched her own eponymous line of fabrics, and I’ve just had the pleasure of meeting Arlington resident and textile designer Kate Hougen of Mira Jean Designs.

Each has a distinctive look: Marika is inspired by the antiquities, while Kate looks to nature—and children—for her muse. Here’s a taste:

Marika Meyer Textiles: 

Marika Meyer
Marika Meyer

Marika’s great-great grandfather was a professor of classics and participated in archeological digs in Asia Minor—he must have passed down the antiquities bug to Marika, who is inspired by Pompeii and other lost civilizations for her patterns. Her first collection includes three grounds that can be printed in any color specification.

marika-meyer-textiles9

 

McGuire

 

Fabric Samples

 

Fabric Samples

 

Fabric Samples

 

Fabric Samples

 

Mira Jean Designs: 

Kate Hougen
Kate Hougen

When we met last week, Kate was telling me how just that morning, she’d seen a bright yellow leaf, split down the middle by a deep, brown line. It’s those kinds of graphic elements she finds all around her that inspire her designs—plus the more fanciful imaginings of children. The result is a collection of fabrics that’s bright, colorful, and full of whimsy.

belize-by-mira-jean-designs

 

Her latest design, Leaves in Terra Cotta, is on a linen ground.
Her latest design, Leaves in Terra Cotta, is on a linen ground.

 

The kids collection—she can customize fabric with your own children's designs, too.
The kids collection—she can customize fabric with your own children’s designs, too.

 

pillows-by-mira-jean-designs-1

 

mira-jean-designs_2016-collection

Kate Lluberes, owner of the Georgetown showroom Evans & Sheldon, has the good sense—and good taste—to carry both women’s lines, which are available through the trade.

If you care about homegrown design and want to see more, here is a list of some other local textile designers:

Caryn Cramer, Washington, DC

cramer

Nettle + Fin, Kensington, MD

nettle

Lauren Liess, Great Falls, VA

liess

Radica Textiles, Baltimore, MD

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Filed Under: Designers Tagged With: Caryn Cramer, Lauren Liess, Marika Meyer, Mira Jean, Nettle + Fin, Radica, textile design

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather Bates says

    November 9, 2016 at 10:12 am

    Thanks for these great local resources. I will be sure to use them in client projects 🙂

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Sunset at our @acorndeckhouse, photo by Chal Sergent
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