By Quinn Riley

We’re positively thrilled to welcome Nathalie and her charming fabric studio, Décors Barbares, to the showroom. If you’re not yet familiar with the line, you’ll soon come to realize why her fabrics have an elite AD 100 cult following.

Influenced by her Russian nanny, textile designer Nathalie Farman-Farma of Décors Barbares credits the majority of her inspiration to Russian culture—her collection of old Russian textiles, ribbons, art, embroideries, and porcelain regularly contribute to her creative process and design. Nathalie was raised in France with her French father and American mother until the age of 18. Expressing a love for fabrics as an adolescent, Nathalie would explore her French grandmother’s closets for tea dresses and other intriguing design contributions to the fashion world. As a young adult, she studied Classics at Brown and Columbia University before working as associate editor for The New Yorker.

Above from Left // Nathalie’s Workspace As Seen in Elle Décor: Fabrics from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Iran, A Sofa Topped with a Persian Kilim

While living in a Greenwich Village co-op, Nathalie met Olya Thompson, a Russian immigrant who had previously lived in France before moving to the United States. Inspired by their mutual love for Russian culture, Olya and Nathalie started a fabric house called Tissus Tartares in 2009. Not long after their joint venture was established, Nathalie started her own company—and this was the beginning of the charming and romantic Décors Barbares textile line we know and love today.

Above // Ancient-Folk Cushions in the Bedroom of Nathalie’s Chelsea Home

Nathalie’s enchanting designs draw on Persian, Central Asian, and Russian folklore, while also infusing elements of French exuberance and warmth. She loves learning about the symbolism behind ancient, hand-embroidered folk costumes. In fact, the cushions in her bedroom were once an ancient folk costume from Ukraine. Nathalie is always on the lookout for ethnographic museums when she is traveling—admiring the details of cultures different from her own is one of her most passionate endeavors. This interest has led Nathalie to curate a great collection of books on textiles and native art, which she keeps on hand in her Décors Barbares work studio.

Above from Left // The Dining Table in Nathalie’s London Home with her Casse-Noisette Pattern, Nathalie’s Collection of Books & Vintage Fabrics in her London Studio

Nathalie currently resides in London with her husband, investment adviser Amir Ali Farman-Farma, and their two children. Amir’s background with royal Persian roots inspired Nathalie to combine traditionally Eastern patterning with Western design. She refrains from adhering to any “rules” for her work—she is interested in the juxtaposition of pattern and color. In her new book (available September 22, 2020 and currently available as pre-order), Décors Barbares: The Enchanting Interiors of Nathalie Farman-Farma, Nathalie offers a glimpse into her residences—from Greenwich, Connecticut to Lake Tahoe to London. Each of her personal spaces portray the whimsical nature of Nathalie’s designs and we are completely enamored.

Above // French doors In Nathalie’s Lake Tahoe Home, Ete Moscovite and Véra Patterns

All of Nathalie’s textiles are stocked and silkscreen printed in France. With the exception of a few sheers, the vast majority of her fabrics are made of strong, dense cotton and Belgian woven linens, making them durable enough for upholstery without backing.

If you’d like to learn even more about Décors Barbares and see the full extent of this stunning line - let’s schedule a virtual or in-person meeting. You can also begin pinning to your client design boards on Pinterest from this dedicated board with the complete line. To request Décors Barbares memos and designer net pricing, kindly follow the link below to apply for a trade account and we’ll get them out to you right away.

APPLY FOR A TRADE ACCOUNT

It’s an honor to have this drop dead gorgeous and totally unique fabric house as part of our boutique showroom offering. We can’t wait to see how y’all use it in your design work!