MOURNE TEXTILES
MOU R NE T E XT I L E S
‘OUT OF THE PA ST FLOWS THE FUTU RE ’ G E R D H AY- E D I E , 19 5 6
For over half a century, Irish heritage brand Mourne Textiles has been weaving fabrics and designing furnishings at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in County Down. This family business, star ted by late Norwegian design pioneer Gerd Hay-Edie, uses traditional weaving techniques on custom-made handlooms. Gerd handed down these techniques to daughter Karen Hay-Edie, a master-weaver in her own right, who in turn passed the baton to her grandson, Mario Sierra. From humble beginnings in a small workshop in the late 1940s, Gerd’s name became a staple in mid-century British design. Gerd developed long-standing collaborations with Robin Day for Hille & Co and Terence Conran, for whom she produced specially designed upholstery and rugs. The Milano Rug, for example, was originally commissioned by Robin Day and won the silver award at La Triennale di Milano (an international institution that continues today) in 1951. This stunning furnishing is just one of the recently re-issued pieces in the collection today. Gerd’s Tweed Emphasize, Shaggy Dog and Mended Tweed fabrics were celebrated within the fashion industry when they were shown as par t of Irish designer Sybil Connolly’s 1956 Spring and Winter collections. Gerd also supplied her tweed fabrics to design and retail emporiums such as Liber ty of London, Hardy Aimes and House of Lachasse. Mourne Textiles is now a 21st century entity that stays true to its history and tradition. The workshop sources yarns from Donegal, as it did in the past, and custom dyes them to match the heritage pieces and iconic designs created by Gerd. These yarns are intrinsic to the Irish-Scandinavian roots of the workshop, resulting in a lifestyle collection made up of rich, vibrant tones and stunning textures: blankets, throws, shawls, cushions, tableware, rugs and upholstery fabrics. As Karen and Mario continue the legacy of Mourne Textiles, and continue to draw inspiration from the rugged vistas of their locale, Gerd’s designs are bought back to life for a new generation.
W O R K S H O P · 8 6 K I L L O W E N O L D RO A D, RO S T R E V O R , C O U N T Y D O W N , B T 3 4 3 A E , N O RT H E R N I R E L A N D + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 8 4 1 7 3 8 3 7 3 L O N D O N S T U D I O · 21 H AYC R O F T R O A D , L O N D O N , S W 2 5 H Y, E N G L A N D + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 2 74 5 6 6 4 STUDIO@MOURNETE X TILES.COM · MOURNETE X TILES.COM V AT N O . 1 5 5 3 7 0 6 11 , R E G I S T E R E D C O M P A N Y N O . N 1 4 0 7 6
‘OUT OF THE PA ST FLOWS THE FUTU RE ’ G E R D H AY- E D I E , 19 5 6
For over half a century, Irish heritage brand Mourne Textiles has been weaving fabrics and designing furnishings at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in County Down. This family business, star ted by late Norwegian design pioneer Gerd Hay-Edie, uses traditional weaving techniques on custom-made handlooms. Gerd handed down these techniques to daughter Karen Hay-Edie, a master-weaver in her own right, who in turn passed the baton to her grandson, Mario Sierra. From humble beginnings in a small workshop in the late 1940s, Gerd’s name became a staple in mid-century British design. Gerd developed long-standing collaborations with Robin Day for Hille & Co and Terence Conran, for whom she produced specially designed upholstery and rugs. The Milano Rug, for example, was originally commissioned by Robin Day and won the silver award at La Triennale di Milano (an international institution that continues today) in 1951. This stunning furnishing is just one of the recently re-issued pieces in the collection today. Gerd’s Tweed Emphasize, Shaggy Dog and Mended Tweed fabrics were celebrated within the fashion industry when they were shown as par t of Irish designer Sybil Connolly’s 1956 Spring and Winter collections. Gerd also supplied her tweed fabrics to design and retail emporiums such as Liber ty of London, Hardy Aimes and House of Lachasse. Mourne Textiles is now a 21st century entity that stays true to its history and tradition. The workshop sources yarns from Donegal, as it did in the past, and custom dyes them to match the heritage pieces and iconic designs created by Gerd. These yarns are intrinsic to the Irish-Scandinavian roots of the workshop, resulting in a lifestyle collection made up of rich, vibrant tones and stunning textures: blankets, throws, shawls, cushions, tableware, rugs and upholstery fabrics. As Karen and Mario continue the legacy of Mourne Textiles, and continue to draw inspiration from the rugged vistas of their locale, Gerd’s designs are bought back to life for a new generation.
W O R K S H O P · 8 6 K I L L O W E N O L D RO A D, RO S T R E V O R , C O U N T Y D O W N , B T 3 4 3 A E , N O RT H E R N I R E L A N D + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 8 4 1 7 3 8 3 7 3 L O N D O N S T U D I O · 21 H AYC R O F T R O A D , L O N D O N , S W 2 5 H Y, E N G L A N D + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 2 74 5 6 6 4 STUDIO@MOURNETE X TILES.COM · MOURNETE X TILES.COM V AT N O . 1 5 5 3 7 0 6 11 , R E G I S T E R E D C O M P A N Y N O . N 1 4 0 7 6
