Shangri-La Passementerie for Samuel & Sons | The Roger Thomas Collection

Shangri-La, embroidered in my dreams

In Designs, RTC News by Roger Thomas

There are places I visit that cause the immediate sensation of being in another world. Certain cities and locations transport me with a sense of connection to my imagination: places I visit that seem to me most dreamlike, such as Venice, Seville, and Beijing. These places inspire great flights of creativity.

Or Shangri-La, which is the cityscape I imagined while creating my third collection of trimmings for Samuel & Sons. Inspired as well by the sheer beauty of the techniques of artisanal craft and handwork, I began drawing the most romantic and timeless effects I could dream. Thus, this new passementerie collection for Samuel & Sons explores patterns through ethereal, hand-beaded, embroidered silk and linen borders, in a broad palette of sumptuous hues.

You can see the gorgeous color choices for all five styles in the Shangri-La collection in the Samuel & Sons section of my website. Enjoy!

Shangri-La Passementerie for Samuel & Sons | The Roger Thomas Collection

Trimmed in Aslan, featuring bugle beads surrounded by petite seed beads.

Shangri-La Collection for Samuel & Sons | The Roger Thomas Collection

The Mandarin Cloud beaded border, in Seacrest and Pale Gold.

 

Shangri-La Passementerie for Samuel & Sons | The Roger Thomas Collection

The Elysian trim on this bench, in D’Or, is a mystical botanical pattern of lustrous leaves. The bedskirt’s China Cloud border is in Chantilly Cream.

Shangri-La Passementerie for Samuel & Sons | The Roger Thomas Collection

China Cloud adorns the bed with organic renderings of hand-embroidered French knots and satin stitches on linen; Elysian borders the draperies.

Shangri-La Passementerie for Samuel & Sons | The Roger Thomas Collection

The chair features an ornate, celestial pattern I call Mandarin Cloud, in a hue we named “Smudge.” Another pattern, Diamond Constellation in “Ash,” sets off the drapery.