What is liberty?

Liberty? Did you say Liberty? This name surely rings a bell!

Liberty is that floral print found everywhere in the worlds of fashion, paper, decoration... a true shower of little flowers. At C'est du Joly, we have cherished them since our beginnings in sewing.

In this article, I invite you to learn more about this gem, and you know what, Liberty has arrived at C'est du Joly!

What is Liberty: characteristics

Liberty fabric is recognizable from a thousand. It has two fundamental characteristics: its material and its patterns.

Liberty is made from high-quality cotton, woven very finely. This gives it a silky, soft, and light appearance. It feels so soft that those unfamiliar might mistake it for silk.

The second characteristic is obviously its floral patterns! Liberty has an incredible range of patterns available in many colors. Their archives contain more than 45,000 patterns, and they keep creating more! Whether you like cool or warm shades, you will find something you love at Liberty.

Today, when we say Liberty, we naturally think of fabrics, but it is also a London store, a brand, and by extension, a pattern representing flowers.

But where does Liberty come from?

A bit of history

Before talking about Liberty, we need to talk about Mr. Arthur Lasenby. Arthur Lasenby was born on August 13, 1843, in Chesham, England. His father, Arthur Liberty (1814-1901), was a draper in Nottingham and later in Chesham.

At the age of sixteen, Arthur became an apprentice draper, working in women's fashion. In 1875, he decided to strike out on his own and opened his own shop. He specialized in decorative objects, upholstery fabrics, and Japanese and Asian art pieces. Success came quickly. The chosen style was new and recognizable, and the names "Liberty" and "Art Nouveau" became synonymous not only in Great Britain but also in Italy.

Arthur Lasenby Liberty's success is due to several factors:
1. His ability to employ many artists and craftsmen for him: Edward William Godwin, Christopher Dresser, W.H. Haseler, Rex Silver, Archibald Knox, Frederick James Partridge, Richard Lethaby, and many others... 2. His openness abroad, both through the foreign artists he supported and his desire to export or establish businesses abroad.
3. His decision to create his own fabric. He then surrounded himself with local manufacturers who helped him make Liberty. The fabrics became so renowned that they decided to import raw materials and have them printed in Great Britain, then eventually also manufacture the fabrics in Great Britain. This is the birth of the famous "Tana Lawn" that we currently use.

He retired from business in 1914 and died at home in Buckinghamshire on May 11, 1917.

And what about us?

Liberty arrived in France at the beginning of the 20th century, where it experienced a real craze, especially in Paris. From the 1960s, it was adopted by several French haute couture houses. Today, this floral print is still very popular. It comes in various forms, but its name is often misused. It actually belongs to the London brand "Liberty of London," which guarantees superior quality textiles and craftsmanship.

In France, it was the Cacharel house that popularized the Liberty pattern. Its collection highlights a floral blouse that became iconic. Other fashion pieces with Liberty prints emerged and became wardrobe essentials for women. Nowadays, the Liberty pattern is especially present in the summer collections of fashion designers. This floral print now brings a breath of fresh air to the whole family's wardrobe: baby, child, and adult.

The great couturier Paul Poiret bought it to add color to his collections. Later, in the 1960s, it was Yves Saint-Laurent himself who succumbed to Liberty for his designs. Other Liberty print pieces will follow: scarves, tank tops, dresses, bikinis, etc. Today, many designers include Liberty in their summer collections: Marc Jacobs and Nicolas Ghesquière embrace it.

How liberty is produced / weaving

Historically, Liberty printed fabrics were produced only from cotton grown at Lake Tana in Ethiopia; hence their name Tana Lawn. The cotton was then woven and printed in the United Kingdom. The brand developed its own weaving technique.

Today, cotton fibers come from different cotton-producing countries such as India, Egypt, and the United States. These cottons are then printed in Italy, near Lake Como.

How to wear liberty? Which styles?

Who said flowers are tacky? Certainly not me! Trendy and timeless, Liberty is found in the world of fashion and ready-to-wear. Whether you like to wear the patterns in a full look or in small touches, liberty will delight you.

It brings a real touch of freshness whether for children's or adult's clothing. Think especially of wedding parties: little girls' dresses, gentlemen's bow ties and ties, pocket squares, scrunchies...

You can also "break" the romantic side by mixing this print with denim or leather.

Liberty matches a wide variety of women's clothing: dresses, blouses/shirts, tops, scarves, skirts... and for babies, why not layette?

Is liberty accessible to beginners?

Liberty is very easy to sew! Despite its fineness and silky appearance, it remains a cotton fabric.

It sews very easily with a standard needle and is not at all slippery.

If you like a pattern you've already made, why not remake it in liberty? Given the price of Liberty, I don't recommend making your first garment or a pattern you're not too sure about. However, if you know it well, go for it! You won't be disappointed!