James Malone
"Linen is good for you"
Between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, at the southernmost point of Europe and nestling amidst bougainvillea and olive trees are the headquarters of James Malone Fabrics.
Originally from London, James arrived in Málaga at the age of 19 and by chance, discovered his passion for textile design. His creations are a unique mixture of the crossing of cultures, an accumulation of experiences - memories of his childhood and his experiences in Andalusia. The collection draws inspiration from around the world from East to West, from brushstrokes of the vibrant African horizon to the inky hues of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
Since the birth of the brand in 2011, in addition to owner, James is also the creative director. His work begins and ends in the fabric itself, aware that fabrics are capable of transmitting sensations and experiences to the places they inhabit.
In creative development James experiments with infinite trials until he reaches the perfect match of design, colour, texture and finish for each individual fabric, a process that can sometimes take years. Creativity is the driving force of the company and consequently its main engine. James is involved in the entire development process, using yarns unique to his textiles and collaborating with master craftsmen to weave them for him.
James rare approach to the creative process means each new design is distinctive in it’s own right whilst retaining a signature that reappears throughout the collection. Natural fibres such as linen, wool and bamboo play an integral part in the collection providing the perfect canvas for unconventional prints and structured jacquards; all of which are part of the characteristics of James Malone Fabrics. The collection is rounded off with sophisticatedly woven plains, voiles with a touch of fantasy and wallpapers inspired by his textile designs.
For this brand focus we take a look at James’ unique approach to yarn selection. More than just a base for his patterns each fibre is carefully considered for it’s personal properties and how they can transform a design.
James Malone is known for primarily using Linen as the primary yarn within it’s collection, but why? Firstly, in addition to its beauty, linen is resilient – it resist stearing, retains its original shape, thermoregulates and is hypoallergenic, in essence;
“Linen is good for you”
Linen also has excellent moisture absorption, retaining up to 20% of its weight in water without feeling damp and being able to release moisture into the air with great ease, aiding it to remain cool and dry to the touch in any climate.
Without a doubt linen is one of the most sophisticated fibres as well as being one of the strongest. Not only does it take colour like no other cloth, the elegance of a finished linen fabric with its soft hand, is simply perfection.
Lastly, Linen is one of the most organic and sustainable textiles known to man. It is 100% recyclable, requires no additional water during its growing period and little to no chemicals meaning it has virtually no impact on our environment.
Discover #thenakedtruthaboutlinen over on the
- James Malone website -
ALTFIELD APPROVED - JAMES MALONE EDIT
Staff Favourites
Elissa, our Sales Executive, loves: Massine
“I love the heavy linen ground and muted off-tone colours of this bold print”
Rodell, our Showroom Manager, loves: Luberon
“Obsessed with this thick textural linen, countered with graphic geometric lines”
Kate, our Sales Executive, loves: Brilly
“A really lovely texture in a huge selection of colours, and at a great price point!”
Katherine, our PR & Marketing Executive, loves: Rossignol
“A wonderful patchwork of geometric patterns inspired by the Bauhaus era”
Emma, our PR & Marketing Manager, loves: Formosa
“A richly woven design in jewel tones”
Fionn, our Sales Executive, loves: Tielt
“A wonderful, double width Linen”
Maria, our Sales Administrator, loves: Medina
“A graphic kilim design made from robust, tightly woven yarns.”
