NEAR THE BEND

The inspiration for January 2023 began last September, with the introduction of

THE WAITING GAME. All of those rich colors got me going in a new direction, one that I wanted to stick with a little longer. Usually I’m in a beach mode for Spring/Summer- but this year is more of a lake vibe...it’s very grounded, here to stay. Then I found the location, and it all came completely together. The location was a recently renovated old restaurant, where they held on to all the great old details and made them even more fabulous!

The entire place is painted in what we call ‘leather brown’, and it’s stunning. This color along with the old floors and mirrors, created such a romantic, vintage feeling...one I didn’t even know I was looking for!

So, on these pages, you will find us along the Lys river, NEAR THE BEND.

THE WAITING GAME

Photo shoot for September 2022:

To begin with this was a great shoot- we were working with Uma who was new to us, but so lovely and so grounded for a young soul. The day was beautiful and warm, although, technically still winter. And then a few hours into the shoot, Hannes, our fantastic photographer, looked up into the trees surrounding us and said, “is that a parrot sitting in that tree”? Sure enough, it absolutely was. When Hannes called him and put out his arm, he promptly flew in and had a seat right on his outstretched arm! He was very interested in us (mostly Hannes) and what we were doing! Hannes found him truly captivating, so the end of the shoot became THE WAITING GAME... calling the parrot and waiting for him to come and sit near Uma so we could later put him across the pages of LH September 2022. Turns out his name is Mikey and he lives on the property of the shoot, and although he was interested in being in the photos, he wanted to be THE STAR... not Uma’s side kick! You’ll find him inside the front cover of the catalogue!

This collection was inspired by the wilderness, thus the colors and names. I envision the colors and stripes sitting beautifully in simple country houses and cabins all over the world. For me it was also once again time for a more colorful story, with lots of mixing and matching as always.

The introduction of the stunning new Jasper collection is also an exciting one! It’s a construction that I’m crazy about because it’s different, really beautiful, and because it lends itself to many different products!

Exciting times.

THE FALKLAND CURRENT

This collection was inspired by desert colors but was photographed in Belgium, far away from the Patagonian Steppe and the Falkland Current.

The names were inspired by desert regions from around the world.

“The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonian Steppe, is the largest of the 40° parallel and is a large cold winter desert, where the temperature rarely exceeds 12 °C and averages just 3 °C. The region experiences about seven months of winter and five months of summer. Frost is not uncommon in the desert but, due to the very dry condition year-round, snow is rare. The Andes, to the desert's west, are the primary reason for the Patagonian Desert status as they inhibit the westerly flow of moisture from the southern Pacific from reaching inland. This creates a rain shadow that accounts for the formation of the desert and is why, despite approximately half of the desert being only about 200 miles from the ocean, such a large desert is found in the region.[4] The cold Falkland Current off the Atlantic coast of South America also contributes to the area's aridity.”

UNTAMED

It’s a bit wild. Very colorful, and slightly daring.

It was inspired by the backcountry…LH September 2021.

When I designed this collection, life was large and lively and very high energy. And then overnight it all came to a complete standstill.

What a humbling year.

Thankfully we can slowly start to think about life after the pandemic. I, like everyone, wonder what our new lives will be like. Are there wild times on the horizon? Dancing in the streets? I guess time will tell. Perhaps soon we will once again be able to have dinners indoors, with people we’ve missed. Until the day comes, I’m dreaming about staying up late around the table, telling stories with old friends and filling the house with laughter. Untamed.

OUT OF THE DARKNESS ...INTO THE LIGHT

As I sit to write this, I cannot decide if I think time is passing us by, or if we are kind of on a repeat loop. What I can say is that I, like everyone else, am ready to turn the page on 2020... I am ready for brighter days.

When I designed this collection, nobody knew about Corona, it was not even a blip on our radar, so I had summer, and beaches and light and water on my mind. All those months ago, my plan was to design something that would tie together summers past with the one to come. Now I hope that by the time summer rolls around, we will all be able to walk out of this darkness and into the light.

A SEASON OF CHANGE

We photographed our original September 2020 collection on March 9th, outside in the wind and the rain, on the grounds of a beautiful old property. For 10 hours we sludged around in half a foot of mud, and endured loads of rain, but the photos turned out terrific despite all of it. And then, a few days later came the Corona lockdown, and life as we all know it, changed in the blink of an eye. So, we decided to re-think our plan for September. Was it time to do big and bold, or was it time go back to basics? We will never know what the right decision was, but we decided that this is a simpler time, and it calls for simple things. So here we are with a small collection of basics, and next September we’ll do big and bold! Being in lockdown for all of these months has made me think of some of the places I’d like to see, or see again, and this process inspired the names.

All that being said, we hope that everyone is finding their new normal, and is going forward, one step at a time. Perhaps this small collection, is a little bit of light after a lot of darkness.

THE MANUFACTORY

All of the cracked and washed out facades of Italy planted the seeds of inspiration for this January 2020 collection. Named after the fantastic atelier and maker store where we photographed this season - THE MANUCTORY collection is a pleasant blend of colors and neutrals. And finding this location so close to home was like having an Italian villa, right here in Belgium.

UNCOMMON GROUND

Natural earth pigments range from green, to gold, to brown to red. Like linen colors, they are truly unique.  After seeing countless images of these warm colored powders, they eventually became the inspiration for this collection - UNCOMMON GROUND. This richness of color combined with lots of linen and wool, brought us to a very lively and colorful place this season.  In addition, we were very lucky to be able to photograph in a waterside bed & breakfast in Brugge, with a lovely model called Marie and her sidekick for the day, Pickles!

THE GUEST HOUSE

This collection was inspired by Spanish beach house interiors, and named after the Gent Guest House where it was photographed.

By now, everyone knows that simplicity is my thing. This season the colors, the designs, and the products are all about SIMPLICITY. There are lots of stripes to fall in love with this summer, both horizontal and vertical, which I love mixing and matching.

THE TACK WAY

This collection was inspired by industrial simplicity, and named after Frans Tack.  Tack was the owner of the former flax retting installation, where we were lucky enough to photograph this collection.

Long ago, here in Belgium, flax retting was done in the river Lys.  Then as time went on, retting moved to tanks.  Modern day retting happens on the fields.  Retting is the process by which the fiber comes loose from the stem of the plant allowing the fiber to be spun into yarn.  In order for this to happen the plant lays for weeks on the fields being exposed to rain and sun, which breaks down the pectins that hold the fiber to the stem of the plant.  Frans Tack was a flax farmer and water retter his whole life, not far from our own factory, in the heart of the Flemish flax region.

BLACK METAL WINDOWS:

For the moment, I’m really into black metal windows. Thus, back to black this fall.   Why black metal windows you might ask?  The simplicity.  They’re modern, yet timeless.  I have a few black metal windows in my house – but in my next life, I see a whole house full.  I love this mix of slightly industrial with classic architecture.   When I work on a collection, the inspiration comes from a million different places.  So when I was working on the Tack Way, I had these windows in my head and on my inspiration wall as well.

INDUSTRIAL SPACES

I’ve always been into any kind of industrial space turned living space.  When I first started working in NYC, 20 years ago, I went to dinner at the most incredible loft apartment that belonged to the friend of a friend.  He was a photographer, living and working in the space in Chelsea.  It had raw concrete floors, huge windows - a very industrial sort of vibe- and I loved it. 

I’m no longer a city slicker, nor do I have any desire to be one, yet all these years later, I still love this look, it remains inspiration.

LINEN / WOOL & THROWS

Need I say more.  Linen/wool speaks for itself, loudly.  It is my single favorite product of the moment, for a million reasons.  First of all, by combining linen and wool, we get a very unique fabric.  A fabric we wouldn’t get in a 100% wool fabric of the same weight or with a 100% linen fabric of the same weight.  It’s special.  The hand is really unique, but not something I can totally describe, it must be felt to really be understood.  However, I think my favorite aspect of the linen/wool products is the look.  It is the most fantastic mix of old and new.  Wool for me is old, in a very good way- argyle sweaters, plaid pants, cashmere coats-  but the designs, the stripes, look new and fresh, and I cannot imagine every getting tired of them. 

Many of the throw collections are linen/wool, some are other linen mixes, but they are all right up my alley.  I use the throws in my house over furniture, because they are so lovely to look at, and I can change a throw and give the room a whole new look! Great right!  And the pillows - I always mix and match them, it’s so much more fun that way!

THE SOUTHERN BIGHT is the southern bight of the North Sea bounded by the coasts of the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Great Britain.

BIGHT

· a bend or curve in the shore of a sea or river.

·  a body of water bounded by such a bend.

·   a bay or gulf.

This collection was inspired by coastal living and named after the Southern Bight.  Coastal living immediately brings up visions of blue and white and a casual lifestyle that lends itself perfectly to linen.  We had the pleasure of photographing in a beautiful house on the Belgian coast with a model named Charlotte who makes everything look and feel relaxed and calm, which is exactly what I wanted. 

BEACH INSPIRED TEXTILES

I am definitely a beach person, not much of mountain person, so designing beach inspired textiles is totally my thing.  I draw loads of inspiration from beach destinations close to us- southern Spain, Corsica, Sardinia- where there’s color, but it’s always washed out, never intense. 

VINTAGE DENIM

Another important piece of the inspiration puzzle this year was DENIM.  I have a major thing for denim, I always have.  My favorite denim of all time is vintage Levi’s- the older the denim, the more washed out, the better.  The denim feeling in this collection is really strong in the Galloper accessories, and also the Folkestone bed linen – washed linen, with a bit of a worn-in, wrinkled look.  

BELGIAN TOWELS IN EVERY ROOM

I can envision decorating an entire beach house in this collection- there’s something strong and full of presence about the pieces, but at the same time, understated and soothing.  They all mix and match, which makes decorating with them really, really fun.  So, when our stylist, Corinne, found the perfect location, it brought everything full circle- we photographed in nearly every room in the house, and honestly the pieces looked like they were designed FOR the house.  So then, if I could decorate an entire beach house with this collection.... For the bedrooms I would choose a duvet from one collection and mix the pillows from a few different collections.  For table linen, definitely one table cloth with napkins from one or two different collections.  I would definitely use Belgian towels in every room, thrown over furniture, to add an interesting element.  And personally I would use the new North Sea throw over the end of a bed, because it’s a beautiful piece.  Last but not least, the new Galloper bag- because my daily wardrobe is jeans- it’s a must have! 

It’s existed since 1818, and it remains in all its original pre-war glory, just 40km from us.  It’s a true beauty.  It’s La BRUGEOISE, and we were lucky enough to spend a couple of days there, shooting our winter 2017 collection, with a lovely model called Ira.

La BRUGEOISE was originally the largest ironworks in Belgium, and later one of the main international producers of train cars and railway materials.  The location is no longer used as a production site, but as you browse the photos, you’ll get a glimpse of what this gem used to be.

G O O D B Y E    B O N I F A C I O

It’s a place of exceptional beauty, incredible nature, breathtaking beaches, and never ending color inspiration.  It’s Corsica.  The washed out building facades of Bonifacio started it all this season.  There is a bit of a bohemian vibe going on with this collection…you’ll feel it as you browse through the photos.  The Belgian towels are back in two ‘Corsican’ colorways, and they are all about good energy.  There is a lot of interesting new bed linen, in horizontal and vertical stripes- to be mixed when possible!  And be sure to check out the new bags, with their lovely trim finish! 

Photographed on the Belgian coast, this collection was inspired by wool and named after sheep.  It all started with a tiny piece of wool trim, which led me down a path of linen/wool inspiration and development, and through a palette of soft, subtle colors & rich textures, to the collection which you are about to discover. 

This is SHEPHERD’S WAY.

CROSSING N°56

‘Partie Des Etats Unis N°56’ is a vintage French map, in glorious faded colors, that takes us on a crossing of the American Southeast.  This map, along with lots of other vintage travel gear, was the inspiration for this summer 2016 collection.  I believe most of the names you will encounter speak for themselves…

1697

This theme was inspired by the year that this featured farmhouse was built - 1697, on a property where the original spirit and energy are still very much alive.  The patina on every surface and the tin on the walls helped us envision the people who lived in this house throughout the past 300 years. It felt like the perfect place to fill with linen.  And so we did, with great, great pleasure. 

Although photographed in Belgium, this collection was inspired by the American SHINGLE STYLE.  It is a look and feel that I have yet to come across anywhere else in the world, and that makes it something to always keep dreaming about…

Wandering Charlotte

This theme was inspired by all things reclaimed.  Things used long ago by folks with stories and lives very different from our own.  The theme has a very artisanal feeling, influenced by craft and talented makers of all sorts of things.  The idea is that with very little we can make a forsaken space look and feel like home, but never without Charlotte.

Gipsey moth

Named after Finch Hatton’s biplane in Isak Denison’s “Out of Africa”, Gipsy moth evokes the natural and effortless beauty of the Kenyan landscape.  The simplicity in color and design of this theme embody a lifestyle of tranquility and oneness with nature.

Libeco Organic

"Organic" may be considered a hype of our modern world, however on a more basic level it represents a return to methods of the past. Our ancestors farmed and produced commodities organically- until very recently this was the only manner possible. 

In the general trend of glorifying the new, efficient and mass produced our society tends to overlook the benefits of older methods.  With this organic line Libeco has retraced traditions deeply imbedded in the culture of the flax growing regions of Western Europe, while simultaneously working towards a more sustainable future- leaving a more promising 'heritage' to the generations to come.

Ecological,

local,

biodegradeable,

sustainable,

zero waste,

craftsmanship

Libeco Organic

It’s autumn 2013 already, and here at Libeco it finds us in rich, warm colors with strong check and plaid influences in both table and bed linen.

VINTAGE FARMHOUSE

Vintage Farmhouse was inspired by typical old English farmhouses in autumn, when the skies are gray and they are surrounded by thick, wooly sheep and rolling hills of brown and wheat and stone. But inside there is a big fire and a simmering pot of soup and laughter all around.

Summer 2013 LINEN inspiration:

Vintage Surf Boards

Rambling Roses

Simple Stripes

Lemonade Stands

Eccentric Colors

Running Barefoot

THREE THEMES:

Surfing Mavericks

A collection inspired by vintage surfboards and named after Mavericks, a famous surfing spot in California. This collection reflects the perfect rhythm of a simple design.

Feminello Limoncello

Inspired by American Lemonade Stands and named after the Italian  ‘Feminello St Teresa’ lemon, traditionally used to make Limoncello.

Teasing Georgia

Named after a climbing rose often seen in charming English gardens. This collection can be combined endlessly with the rest of the collection, but also works all by itself.

Somewhere out west where the winds blow wild and the mountains touch the sky, you will find our BOHEMIAN COWGIRL.  She spends her days surrounded by linen – sometimes girly linen, sometimes not, for her linen is a way of life.

At harvest time her family will take all that the earth has to give, and they will cherish it for the many barren months to come and say, oh what SACRED GROUND this is.  And through the autumn and the winter they will dress lovely tables and eat hearty meals, and they will be grateful.

When winter comes she finds her way to the Scottish HIGHLANDS, overlooking the sea, in a rambling stone house with sweeping views of the land, and inside, every room is filled with linen, from floor to ceiling and in between.

At years end, nestled in the Tuscan countryside, amongst the hills and grapevines, is a farmhouse prepared for CHRISTMAS.  Here the cowgirl’s family will come together, sharing in laughter and love.  And when evening falls they will gather ‘round a linen covered table, and together they will share a simple feast.

This story begins with OLD RED.

After happening upon old Dutch boats with sails of “madder red”,this color became my obsession. These sails became a vision that I could not get out of my head. But as you make your way through these photos, you will understand why. The simplicity and earthiness of this color is exactly what we’re all about, and so these elements became a part of every OLD RED product I created.

OLD RED is now a good friend.

I was working away on OLD RED when the Avignon collection came to be. And suddenly I was on to blue in a very big way - it pulled me in and wouldn’t let me go. While working with these blues, I was blown away by their beauty and power, and TRUE BLUE was born. For me, TRUE BLUE is a state of harmony, a kind of peace.

In this story OLD RED meets TRUE BLUE in an old tractor on the beach.

Ancient harmony re-created.