Dream Weaver: Merida
January 3, 2020
Text by Robert Kiener
As she sits in her Paris studio, surrounded by shelves of books, piles of textiles, and strandsâand more strandsâof colorful yarn, noted weaver and designer Sylvie Johnson smiles when asked where she finds the inspiration for the textile and rug designs for which she has become renowned. âEverything begins with the yarn,â she explains. She picks up a handful and adds, âYarn has a way of telling you what it wants to be. You just have to listen.â
Johnsonâs ability to listen, and the innovative designs that result, have earned her international acclaim as well as the role of creative director for Merida, the Fall River, Massachusetts-based textile manufacturer. âI am thrilled to be working with Meridaâs talented craftspeople,â she says. âWe speak the same artistic language, so ours is a true collaboration. They create a real magic.â
Johnson, who has already produced several collections for the firm, describes her work for Merida as inspired by the âless is moreâ school of design. âI find that itâs possible to produce striking, elegant work by keeping design simple,â she says. âYou donât need to be elaborate.â Merida has dubbed some of her work, âAn ode to minimalism.â
No matter how simple the design, however, depth is a constant, and Johnson says she hopes viewers will look deeper to see how she has been inspired by architecture, nature, archeology, and even music. Among her 2019 Atelier collection for Merida are rugs with names like Verbena and Mesa in colors such as Pebble and Saffron, reflecting the influences of the natural world on her design sense. A previous collection includes a rug called Saga inspired by Chopinâs music. âI love the way the design catches the light and is joyful, much like his music,â she says.
A rug, Johnson says, is so much more than a floor covering or decorative accent. âTextiles are the first art, older than painting or sculpture,â she says. âA rug can be a piece of art. It can have a soul.â
Merida, Fall River, Mass.
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