Fall market at D&D: The World of Pierre Frey

We were so fortunate to have as our hosts for the 2 days for Fall Market at the D&D Building (Design & Decoration Building) the wonderful showrooms of Pierre Frey & Niedermaier.

Today's look at Pierre Frey, the French family-owned business since 1935, designs, creates and manufactures fabrics and wallpapers in the purest French tradition. Surviving war torn Europe, today Pierre Frey has over 300 employees, 4 brands and over 60 showrooms and thousands of fabrics and wallpapers, many of which are original designs from Pierre Frey's own line as well as the other three prestigious brands: Braquenié, Fadini Borghi and Boussac.  A visit to their archives is still one of my top *Bucket* list items.

In 1969, Patrick Frey, joined his parents firm & learned the ropes by working in all the departments & with his strong artistic ability inherited from both his mother, a textile designer, and from his maternal grandfather René Prou – a renowned French interior designer from the 1930s. Since 1975, Patrick has been the Chairman of what we now know to be Pierre Frey, with his sons Vincent & Pierre, continuing the family tradition. 

Patrick, Matthieu, Vincent & Pierre Frey

''I was born in interior decoration,'' said Patrick Frey. 'My father came from the north of France, where there were a lot of mills. My mother, Genevieve Prou, was an interior decorator and her father was Rene Prou...'(who designed furniture and decorated the ocean liner Normandie).

The New York showroom for this fabric house, on the 16th floor of the D&D Building, was one of the blogger lounges during Fall Market and offers a wonderful layout of many of the fabrics in large scale panels which is such a treat for us interior designers.

Pierre Fry has several new collections this year, such as the colorful collections Voyage, with inspiration from traditional costumes in velvets, ikats, embroideries & the solids in highest quality wool, of the Vodka Tonic (below) collection.

Voyages  /// Vodka Tonic wools

Neutrals are also rich with detail and traditional cues, in Atmosphere, from linens to silks and velvet;  solids and embroideries, all inspired by American movie stars of the 50’s and 60’s and the modern touch of Andree Putman, the highly acclaimed French interior and product designer.

Atmosphere // Pierre Frey - Andree Putman

By the way, Andree Putman's new website launches in one week, so make sure mark your calendars, & check it out!

So here are a few snapshots of wide array of styles, colors and patterns that are part of the Pierre Frey selection, within all 4 brands.

 Neutral Shimmers...

Neutral Shimmers - 1/ Sidinio Grigio Perla  2/ Fabio 3/Otello Aregnto 4/ Federico

Federico Argento - This Jacquard is the most luxurious wood bark inspired fabric
is one of my favorites and makes stunning draperies!

Stunning Reds...
Embroideries, and textured in more contemporary and traditional styles ...

1/ 2/ Tournelle

Among many of the collections that Pierre Frey offers, one of the stand our fabrics still on my radar is "Olympia". I was able to use this fabric in a City Council Town office several years ago where we were really unable to make any alterations to the existing wood paneling or window fitting, this bright yellow was a really wonderful way to accent a small glass cabinet as well as in the windows with traditional drapery panels.

These played beautifully in contrast to the modern custom conference tables with a clean steel base and a walnut top which we had made & allowed the team to rearrange the configuration for smaller or larger groups and functions.

The "Olympia"

A conference space, with the Olympia fabric as drapery panels and upholstered interior cabinet

Miniature chair in Leo Noir

For more from the world of Pierre Frey, visit their site & magazine which offers many insights into their mills, artistic collaborations, and much more on "FreyQuence - Le Magazine".

They were so kind to host us during these two days, and more tomorrow on the Niedermaier. showroom as well as continued coverage of my trip to London and the finds from there.


















For a little fun, and for those that understand Portuguese, it was wonderfully gracious of the Pierre Frey team to allow me to use there showroom as my makeshift office in the city while being interviewed for a Portuguese news channel earlier this year, interviewed by the lovely Ana Duarte Carmo.

Watch that here.