Secret History of Pattern

Pattern is among the oldest forms of human visual communication — woven, printed, and embroidered into cloth for thousands of years before language was written on walls. This seminar explores the surprising, often subversive, and always fascinating origins of eight iconic patterns that have shaped interior design, fashion, and cultural identity across the centuries.

With infinite patterns to choose from and create, why have certain patterns become codified into our design DNA? What makes the decorative curling comma of a paisley so compelling…and why is it named after a small town in Scotland? What’s the difference between a plaid and tartan? Why did toiles become so closely associated with bucolic 18th century country life? Discover the background on some of the design world’s most favorite pattern styles, as we review their development over the centuries as well as some exceptional contemporary interpretations.