British heritage jewellery, accessories and sleepwear brand, Fable England has launched a capsule collection with the Natural History Museum for AW24.
The 38-piece collection features hand-painted enamel jewellery, illustrative print silk scarves and luxury sleepwear, as well as signature Fable England bag shapes, dominated by an exclusive print created for the collection.
With the natural world as its muse, Fable England thoughtfully weaves stories from British literature through each of its collections, and the NHM collaboration is no exception.
Forming a connection over their shared love of the natural world, Fable England and the Museum relished the opportunity to delve into the Museum’s special collections – a treasure trove of artworks, manuscripts and rare books – to seek out inspiration for a new collection.
It was the story of entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 – 1717) that had a lasting impact on the Fable England team. A leading entomologist of her time, Maria had aspirations that surpassed social conventions bestowed upon a woman of the 17th century, going on to revolutionise the scientific community’s understanding of the life cycle of insects.
Maria’s 1705 publication, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium was the first ever scientific record of the process we now know as Metamorphosis. The expertly observed hand-coloured plates have gone on to inspire many natural history illustrators, artists, and entomologists alike.
Fable England created its abstract botanical luxury print Floral Engravings to underpin the whole collection, using illustrations by Maria Sybilla Merian and her daughter, Johanna Helena Herolt, an 18th-century botanical artist. The contrasting borders of the print, with their intricate carving elements and geometric graphics, were taken from Alfred Waterhouse’s architectural blueprints for the Natural History Museum.
“When the opportunity arose to collaborate with the Natural History Museum, we were thrilled; it was the perfect partnership for Fable England to collaborate on such a special capsule collection for AW24,” commented Vanessa Radley, creative director at Fable England. “The highlight for me was the unforgettable experience of being invited to the Museum’s Rare Books Library and meeting with their special collections manager, Andrea Hart, where an array of priceless rare books had been prepared for the design team to look through from the archives. I was particularly delighted to (carefully) leaf through their illustrated nature studies of botany, entomology and ornithology.”
Vanessa continued: “A remarkable story unfolded when researching the life work and studies of Maria Sibylla Merian, whose pioneering and adventurous spirit is an epic tale; she embarked on the first recorded expedition for the sole purpose of scientific research and discovery at the age of 52. Her unique story unfolded further when I learnt that some of the artwork selected to create our hero print, Floral Engravings, were the work of one of her daughters, Johanna Helena Herolt, whose illustrative studies have often been mistaken for her mother’s.”
Maxine Lister, head of licensing at the Natural History Museum, added: “Given our aligned values and dedication to sharing the wonder and beauty of the natural world, it should come as no surprise that we’ve collaborated on a marvellous collection showcasing the work of Maria Sibylla Merian – a true pioneer for women in science.
“Creating a collection which is both sustainable, and beautiful was and continues to be key for both Fable England and the NHM, and this new collection is no exception, with sustainably sourced materials include TENCEL, recycled PU and recycled nylon.”
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