Our Story

'Styles come and go.  Good design is a language, not a style'   Massimo Vignelli

 

I've spent my whole career working as a freelance textile designer and have absolutely loved it.  We set up and ran a design collective called First Eleven Studio in 1987, working with a group of around ten other wonderful designers.

At the end of 2018 we decided that all good things must eventually come to an end, having been super-successful for three decades. We had worked with the best and most exciting companies all over the globe and exhibited extensively in America and Europe, mostly feeling as free as birds to design what we liked, without too many restrictions or boundaries. First Eleven became known for being contemporary and imaginative, with designs that were different in some way, quirky sometimes and always with wonderful colour. I can say all this with confidence as it was said to me so many times.

But it's time to move on now and here we are, continuing along our creative path.  With undiminished love of colour and fabric, we can now keep playing and see something all the way through, from conception to a useful finished product.

Do follow us on Instagram @jennyfrean for a visual account of our story.  Don't hesitate to leave comments about what you think and we hope you enjoy our products as much as we have enjoyed bringing them to life.

 

Jenny Frean  RDI MA(RCA)