Textile company Valley Forge Fabrics has launched a new collection inspired by Florence Broadhurst. The first group of two Broadhurst signature prints, "Cranes” (inspired by Broadhurst's youth in China and love for birds) along with "Turnabouts" (a retro design that signified Broadhurst's affinity for circular compositions) are available now. The winter 2023 release will include three additional designs and will be available in late February. Collections will be released each season throughout the next few years.
Broadhurst traveled through Asia, China and Europe as a singer and dancer and was notorious for her flamboyant clothing, antique jewelry and coiffed hair. She held many roles in her life, including a London fashion designer, and ultimately became a luxury wallpaper hand-printer at age 60. Bored of the mundane monochromatic and muted tones that were then popular in Australian design, her Sydney-based business began producing bold geometrics and nature-inspired designs, all of which were hand-printed. In total, her archive spans over 500 designs ranging from tapestries to geometrics, florals, psychedelics and chinoiseries.
Valley Forge found inspiration in Broadhurst's story and is looking to carry on her legacy through creation, innovation and sustainability. The Florence Broadhurst Collections by Valley Forge Fabrics showcase these extraordinary designs in a modern, sophisticated genre. Manufactured at Valley Forge's print factory inside their main HQ in South Florida, all of the upcoming Broadhurst patterns (owned by the Signature Designs Archive) are curated for seasonal releases.