Richard Frinier Launches Three New Sunbrella® Fabric Collections

Furniture World Magazine

Internationally-acclaimed home furnishing designer Richard Frinier has launched three new Sunbrella® performance fabric collections that feature tonal textures in both tone-on-tone and saturated colorways. The new fabrics, which build on Frinier’s earlier success with the use of texture in designing Sunbrella fabrics, will debut during the International Casual Furniture Market in Chicago in September. “The growing need by consumers for balance in soothing living environments, indoors and out, served as the inspiration for my new ‘tonal textured’ fabrics with Sunbrella,” Frinier said. “By combining the sophistication of Sunbrella’s colorful yarns with the brand’s proven performance, we have achieved a new level of worry-free lifestyle fabrics.” The Sasian Collection Frinier combined the words Silk and Asian to form the word “Sasian” to describe a new silk/linen weave for Sunbrella. Sasian has a rich timeless look with a natural appearance in both texture and hand. This authentic tone-on-tone texture is expressed in a full array of classic silk colorways with an eye-catching soft, chroma-shift effect. “When you think about silks and linens there is a strong emotional connection,” Frinier said. “Dating back to the Chinese in the 27th Century BC, silk is synonymous with elegance, fashion and versatility. Linen is also known for elegance and beauty, offering a lifestyle that is sophisticated, comfortable and serene.” Frinier has combined the look, feel and design aesthetic of silk and linen into one fabric with the Sasian Collection. A broad array of colors is included, ranging from Rice, Papyrus and Plum to Cinnabar, Indigo and Ink. The Savanna Collection Frinier’s Savanna Collection for Sunbrella represents a new, tonal-texture design for the performance fabric category. This woven design combines the classic look of a basket weave pattern with a sophisticated and fashionable color palette. “Savanna represents the perfect balance between tonal-texture and uncomplicated styling,” Frinier said. “The surface texture creates visual interest, while the rich range of colors makes it authentic. The incredible soft-hand finish makes this line of textiles appealing and practical for today’s lifestyles.” Colorways for the Savanna Collection include Sisal, Flax, Seagrass, Hemp, Acanthus and Abaca. The SunWeave Collection Expanding on the success of his existing Sunbrella waffle pattern collection, Spa Weave, Frinier has created a coordinating, smaller-scaled construction called SunWeave. Colorways in this collection are sun washed, yet bright, energizing the eye and creating a playful, uplifting atmosphere for indoor and outdoor living environments. Colorways include Sand, Shore, Sun, Starfish, Shell, Spray and Surf. “Our goal is to work with Glen Raven in continuing to elevate the design sophistication of Sunbrella fabrics,” Frinier said. “We are truly taking Sunbrella in entirely new directions, offering constructions with clearly visible surface designs and a soft hand. From subtle to saturated colorways, we have created an amazing offering of trendsetting textiles.” Frinier’s first three collections for Sunbrella also emphasize texture and are specified by the trade and featured by leading furniture manufacturers for both interior and exterior leisure furniture. These collections include Sailcloth (linen/canvas), Seashore (bouclé) and SpaWeave (waffle pattern.) Richard Frinier’s award-winning design career spans more than 25 years with current collections including furniture designs for Century Furniture and fabric designs for Sunbrella fabrics. Additionally, Frinier designs home furnishings and accessories for a select international clientele and is launching a lighting and home accents collection with Currey & Company this year. Glen Raven revolutionized the way the world thinks about how beautiful fabrics perform with the introduction of Sunbrella in 1962. Today, durable, easy-care Sunbrella fabrics are available in thousands of sophisticated styles, patterns and colors for wherever people live, work and play. Glen Raven, Inc. is based in Glen Raven, N.C. and supplies performance fabrics to customers in more than 120 countries. On the web at www.sunbrella.com.