2 3

4 5
 CONTENTS

9 FOREWORD
10 DESIGNERS
10 Christopher Farr
32 Anni Albers
40 Kim Alexandriuk
48 Kate Blee
58 Bowles & Linares
62 Michael Boyd
70 Collett-Zarzycki
78 Commune
90 Ilse Crawford
92 GamFratesi
94 Josef Herman
96 Irene Infantes
100 Kit Kemp
104 Melissa Kirkpatrick
108 David Linley
110 MLK Studio
114 Omega Workshop
120 Rifat Ozbek
122 Verner Panton
124 Jorge Pardo
126 John Pawson
128 Marian Pepler
132 Andrée Putman
134 Studio Shamshiri
148 Gunta Stölzl
154 Kim Thomé
156 William Turnbull
160 David Weeks
162 Michael Young

164 CRAFTSMANSHIP
174 BESPOKE & CUSTOM DESIGN
178 OUR MATERIALS
180 RESPONSIBLE TRADING
184 ARTISTS & EXHIBITIONS
188 CLOTH
191 INDEX

Pages 2–3: Weavers hand knotting a wool rug at a vertical loom in India. Photograph by Hashim Badani.
Pages 4–5: Lozenge, designed by Michael Boyd, off the loom and ready for finishing. Photograph by Hashim Badani.
6 Opposite page: Etch, Kate Blee, private residence, London, Waldo Works 7
 ABOUT CHRISTOPHER FARR

In 1988, the artist and designer Christopher Farr founded his eponymous
company with business partner Matthew Bourne, and rapidly earned a
reputation for uniting heritage textile craftsmanship with bold contem-
porary design. In the decades since, Christopher Farr’s dedication to quality
and uncompromising pursuit of beauty has helped revolutionise rug design
and restore rug-making to the status of fine art.

Over 30 years later, Christopher Farr continues to protect and preserve

weaving traditions around the world, while pushing at the creative possi-
bilities of contemporary design. Christopher Farr’s rugs are a frequent
sight at global art and design exhibitions and in the homes of connoisseurs
and collectors worldwide.

Alongside an ever-expanding catalogue of designs by Farr himself,

the company collaborates with a wide-ranging but carefully considered
selection of international artists, architects, fashion designers and other
visionaries to produce a selection of designs that remains unrivalled in
its creative scope. From modern-day disruptors such as Gavin Turk and
Kate Blee to 20th-century textile pioneers including Anni Albers and
Gunta Stölzl, via interior titans like Kit Kemp and Ilse Crawford, Christopher
Farr is privileged to enjoy close creative relationships with many of the
most innovative designers of both the last century and the present day.

Both our materials and our craftspeople are found in countries with
centuries of weaving and rug-making heritage, such as Afghanistan, Turkey
and India. Over the years, we have built up the knowledge and relationships
to source the highest-quality fibres available in these locations and beyond:
fleeces for versatile wool blends and delicate mohair; fine, glossy silks and
strong, durable jutes — whatever would be best suited to the artwork in hand.

Whether customised from an existing design or crafted entirely bespoke,

all Christopher Farr rugs are made to order, by hand, by a trusted group
of skilled artisans. No time saved, no shortcuts taken, no corners cut.

8 Opposite page: Knot, Christopher Farr. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 9

 CHRISTOPHER FARR

Initially an abstract painter, the Slade

School graduate won a Boise Traveling
Fellowship to Peru in 1975. There, Farr
was enraptured by pre-Columbian textiles
and, determined to explore ways to marry
his love of abstraction to ancient textile
arts, he travelled to Western Turkey to
learn rug making. His modernist interest
in colour and form, married to the age-old
techniques of hand dying and hand looming,
helped make Christopher Farr one of the
preeminent rug designers of today.

10 Opposite page: Huaras, Christopher Farr. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 11

12 Huaras, Christopher Farr Huaras, Christopher Farr 13
14 Windrush, Christopher Farr Above, left: Tread, Christopher Farr; right: Portal, Christopher Farr 15
 Shoreline, Christopher Farr
16 Opposite page: detail of Shoreline 17
18 Above, left: Eothen IV, Christopher Farr; right: Eothen I, Christopher Farr Eothen II, Christopher Farr 19
 Above, left: Close Blue, Christopher Farr; right: Close Charcoal, Christopher Farr
20 Opposite page: Close Saffron, Christopher Farr. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 21
22 Bancou, Christopher Farr Above, left: Rei, Christopher Farr; right: Vanishing Point, Christopher Farr 23
24 Tapa I, Christopher Farr Tapa II, Christopher Farr 25
 Opposite page: Chan Chan, Christopher Farr
26 Above, left: Chan Chan V, Christopher Farr; right: Chan Chan VII, Christopher Farr 27
 Top, left: Knot, Christopher Farr; top, right: Maglis, Christopher Farr; bottom, left: Cuckmere, Christopher Farr
28 Opposite page: Knot, Christopher Farr. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 29
30 Crosby, Christopher Farr Unearth, Christopher Farr 31
 ANNI ALBERS

One of the most influential textile artists

of the 20th century, Anni Albers began her
career at the Bauhaus, where — prevented
from studying other disciplines as a woman — 
she took up weaving under the tutelage
of Gunta Stölzl. This kickstarted a lifelong
passion for the tactile and aesthetic
possibilities of textiles, and led her to the
US, where she became the first textile artist
to be honoured with a show at the Museum
of Modern Art — and the most famous
weaver of the modern age.

32 Opposite page: Study (1926), Anni Albers 33

34 Above and right: DRXVII, Anni Albers 35
36 Camino Real, Anni Albers Tapestry Study, Anni Albers 37
38 Red Meander, Anni Albers Smyrna Rug, Anni Albers 39
 KIM ALEXANDRIUK

Born in Michigan, and now based in Santa

Monica, California, where she established
her firm in 1999, Kim Alexandriuk is an
interior designer with a chameleonic talent
when it comes to design styles — as fluent in
Classical European as she is in clean-lined
contemporary minimalism. Drawing on her
German-Romanian heritage, a love of travel,
and a gift for creating harmonious juxta-
position of the traditional and the modern,
she works with a prestigious roster of
residential and commercial clients around
the world.

40 Opposite page: Korčula, Kim Alexandriuk, private residence, Montecito, Kim Alexandriuk 41
42 Vulcania, Kim Alexandriuk Zadar, Kim Alexandriuk 43
44 Oztek, Kim Alexandriuk Dresden, Kim Alexandriuk 45
46 Spandau, Kim Alexandriuk Istria, Kim Alexandruik 47
 KATE BLEE

Based in her London studio since 1986,

Kate Blee is an artist and designer working
in diverse media and materials, including
wood, paper, clay and cloth. She has become
renowned for the robust, domestic qualities
of her work and her passionate exploration
of colour relationships. Blee’s designs have
been translated into rugs and tapestries,
print and wallpaper, and can be found in
the public collections of the Victoria and
Albert Museum, the Crafts Council and the
Contemporary Arts Society.

48 Opposite page: Draw, Kate Blee 49

50 Brush, Kate Blee Brush Charcoal, Kate Blee 51
 Cast, Kate Blee
52 Opposite page: Cast, Kate Blee. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 53
54 Above, left: Bar I; right: Bar IV Tan, Kate Blee Above, left: Bar II; middle: Bar III; right: Bar IV, Kate Blee 55
 Above: Amandaala, Kate Blee
56 Opposite page: Amandaala, Kate Blee. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 57
 BOWLES & LINARES

Established in 1997 by Sharon Bowles and

Edgar Linares, Bowles and Linares is a
West London-based design studio working
across design, sculpture and architecture.
Pairing Bowles’ architectural and interiors
experience with Linares’ expertise in
engineering, jewellery design and furniture
making, their practice’s output includes
lighting, glassware, furniture and interior
products characterised by intricate detailing,
crafted character and a defined material
palette. Set apart from fashion trends, their
hand-worked designs combine modernist
ideas with influences from antiquity.

Opposite page: Reverso, Bowles & Linares

58 Pages 60–61: Reverso, Bowles & Linares, private residence, Toronto, MLK Studio 59
60 61
 MICHAEL BOYD

Michael Boyd is a designer working across

landscape, furniture and architecture, who
spends his time between Los Angeles and
San Francisco. Founder of the consultancy
Boyd Design, which specialises in the
restoration and preservation of modernist
architecture, he has become an internationally
recognised authority on 20th-century design.
Alongside his restorations of some of the most
architecturally notable properties in the US,
Boyd lectures widely, contributes to numerous
global design publications and acts as an
adviser to several museums on modern design,
architecture and 20th-century decorative arts.

62 Opposite page: Double Arrow, Michael Boyd 63

64 Block Runner, Michael Boyd Lozenge, Michael Boyd 65
66 N2, Micahel Boyd N1, Michael Boyd 67
68 Left: Seafoam Curve; right: Banana Drift, Michael Boyd Above, left: Burgundy Mist Twist; right: Sonic Blue Slant, Michael Boyd 69
 COLLETT-ZARZYCKI

An architectural design practice founded

by Anthony Collett and Andrzej Zarzycki,
Collett-Zarzycki has designed some of
the most spectacular private residences
in London and the UK, as well as homes
across Europe, America and the Far East.
The studio’s multi-disciplinary approach
embraces architecture, interior design,
furniture design and landscaping. The practice
has worked with Christopher Farr since
the beginning, creating bespoke handmade
rugs for Collett-Zarzycki’s interior schemes.

Opposite page: Ink Stripe, Collett-Zarzycki

70 Pages 72–73: Ink Stripe, Collett-Zarzycki. Photograph by Luke Foreman. 71
72 73
 Above: Dash, Collett-Zarzycki
74 Opposite page: Dash, Collett-Zarzycki. Photograph by Luke Foreman. 75
76 Brushstroke, Collett-Zarzycki Assembled Stripe, Collett-Zarzyck 77
76 77
 COMMUNE

Founded by Roman Alonso and Steven

Johanknecht, Commune is a Los Angeles-
based collective of architects, interior
designers, graphic designers, artists,
artisans, craftsmen, and builders with a
global portfolio of projects in residential,
commercial and hospitality sectors. Highly
collaborative in its approach, Commune’s
activities run the design spectrum from
architecture to brand management, via
graphic and product design — characterised
by conscientious material selection and
an appreciation of original architecture.

78 Opposite page: Plaid, Commune. Photograph by Spencer Lowell. 79

80 Sitio Border, Commune Plaid, Commune 81
 Above: Kaleidoscope, Commune
82 Opposite page: Kaleidoscope, Commune. Photograph by Spencer Lowell. 83
84 Kaleidoscope Jute, Commune Tribal, Commune 85
 Above: Sitio, Commune
86 Opposite page: Sitio, Commune. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 87
88 Klimt, Commune Big Plaid, Commune 89
 ILSE CRAWFORD

Responsible for launching the UK edition

of Elle Decoration in 1989, Ilse Crawford
is the founder of the legendary design
agency Studioilse and one of the most
influential figures in contemporary British
design. Whether developing an interior, a
furniture product or a brand identity, Ilse’s
mission is to place human experience at the
heart of the design process — a philosophy
she shares with the emerging creative
generation through her role as founder
of the Man and Wellbeing department
at the Design Academy Eindhoven.

90 Opposite page: 36-24-36, Ilse Crawford 91

 GAMFRATESI

Set up in 2006 by architects Stine Gam

and Enrico Fratesi, Copenhagen-based
studio GamFratesi fuses the Danish and
Italian design heritage of its founders to
create minimalist furniture and interior
spaces that combine respect for tradition
with contemporary storytelling elements.
Often experimental in materials and
technique, their work typically expresses
the processes that created it, and reflects
the studio’s interest in the liminal zone
between harmony and dissonance.

92 Opposite page: Platonism, GamFratesi 93

 JOSEF HERMAN

Born in Warsaw in 1911, expressionist painter

Josef Herman was the co-founder of Poland’s
first left-wing artists’ group, Phrygian Cap,
but was forced to flee the country as a
refugee in 1940. He eventually settled in Wales
in the mining village of Ystradgynlais, which
strongly influenced his work — richly coloured
still lifes, portraits and landscapes exploring
themes such as the dignity of labor and the
human spirit. He died in 2000, still active as
a painter, with his work represented in private
and public collections all over the world.

94 Opposite page: CF374, Josef Herman 95

 IRENE INFANTES

Born in Seville, Irene Infantes came to

London in 2010 to study textile design at
Central Saint Martins. While there, she
was asked to create a print collection for
Anthropologie and soon after received
a commission form the French ceramics
company Legle. A Textprint award in 2016
led her to exhibit at London Design Festival,
where Christopher Farr first saw her work.
Infantes’ creative practice is steered by
curiosity, with influences ranging from her
own ancestry to the symbolism of colour.

96 Opposite page: Gravitation, Irene Infantes 97

98 Above, left: Levitation; right: Sevilla, Irene Infantes Magnetism, Irene Infantes 99
 KIT KEMP

Few people have contributed more to

the boutique hotel design aesthetic than
Kit Kemp. The self-taught designer is the
co-owner and creative director of Firmdale
Hotels, a global collection of highly accoladed
landmark properties including eight hotels
in London and two in New York. Although
each has a unique style, Kemp’s hotels are
united by bold colours, a magpie eye for
detail and a thread of English eccentricity
running through their interiors.

100 Opposite page: Egg and Dart, Kit Kemp, Crosby Street Hotel, New York, Kit Kemp 101
102 Egg and Dart, Kit Kemp Pebbledash, Kit Kemp 103
 MELISSA KIRKPATRICK

Born in Georgia, in the United States,

Melissa Kirkpatrick grew up immersed
in art, with weekly lessons from her
grandmother and gallery trips with her
siblings. This early inspiration took her
to a degree in printmaking, followed by
a move to California to launch a career
in design. Kirkpatrick worked in creative
positions at a succession of companies,
but it was her experience at Smith &
Noble that inspired her to launch her own
line of fabrics inspired by bright colours
and art nouveau designs — the MK
Collection — in 2011.

104 Opposite page: Less Travelled, Melissa Kirkpatrick 105

106 Favrile, Melissa Kirkpatrick Nightingale’s Ode, Melissa Kirkpatrick 107
 DAVID LINLEY

Furniture maker, former chairman of

Christie’s auction house and second
Earl of Snowdon, David Albert Charles
Armstrong-Jones (professionally known
as David Linley) discovered a passion
for arts and crafts while a student at
Bedales. Having trained as a craftsman
in wood, he opened a bespoke cabinetry
workshop in Dorking in 1985, which
evolved to become the renowned furni-
ture company LINLEY. He has written
numerous books on furniture and
interiors and lectured internationally.

108 Opposite page: Dovetail, David Linley 109

 MLK STUDIO

MLK Studio is a Los Angeles-based interior

design firm working on luxury residential,
retail and commercial projects worldwide.
The award-winning studio was founded by
Meg Joannides, an interior design graduate
of San Francisco’s Fashion Institute of
Design and Merchandising with many years’
experience in high-end residential design and
retail planning across the globe. Over two
decades, MLK has developed a reputation
for cultivating a clean, modern style that
harmonises beautifully with progressive
contemporary architecture.

110 Opposite page: New Heights II, MLK Studio, private residence, San Gorgonio, Sara Zofko 111
112 New Heights, MLK Studio New Heights II, MLK Studio 113
 OMEGA WORKSHOP

Founded and headed by the artist and critic

Roger Fry, Omega Workshop was the visual
arts arm of the Bloomsbury Group, set up
to bridge the gap between fine and decor-
ative arts. Based in Fitzroy Square, London,
Omega Workshop gave artists opportunity
to generate income from the design of textiles,
furniture and household items — all marked
with the omega symbol, rather than the name
of the artist. The workshop’s aesthetic is
Post-Impressionist, with touches of cubism and
fauvism visible in many of its textile patterns.

114 Opposite page: Rug Design CF 955, Omega Workshop 115

116 Rug Design CF 973, Omega Workshop Bloomsbury, Omega Workshop 117
 Above: Pattern Design, Omega Workshop
118 Opposite page: Pattern Design, Omega Workshop 119
 RIFAT OZBEK

Born in Istanbul, Rifat Ozbek enjoyed a

30-year career as a fashion designer before
he made the move into interior design.
The Saint Martins graduate worked in Italy
as a clothing designer for Monsoon before
launching his own label in London in 1984,
twice earning the title of ‘Designer of the
Year’ from the British Fashion Council for his
exotic, ethnically influenced style. In 2005,
he shifted his love of colour and pattern
into cushions and other interior products
via his brand YASTIK, as well as high-profile
interior design projects around the world.

120 Opposite page: Stripe, Rifat Ozbek 121

 VERNER PANTON

With his penchant for vibrant colours,

innovative approach to materials (particularly
plastic) and love of futuristic forms, the
Danish architect and designer Verner Panton
earned a place in the history of 20th-century
design for the exuberance and iconoclasm
of his work. Panton was a staunch believer
that intelligent design should be accessible
to all — a principle embodied in his chair
designs, which include the now-iconic
Stacking chair, the world’s first single-form
injection-moulded plastic seat.

122 Opposite page: Square Rug, Verner Panton 123

 JORGE PARDO

Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo was born

in Havana, raised in Chicago and now lives
and works in Mérida, Mexico. His multifaceted
practice operates at the meeting points
of painting, design, sculpture, architecture
and construction, and his works range from
individual paintings to complete buildings.
In the multiple disciplines in which he operates,
Pardo’s distinctive style is characterised by
vibrant palettes and eclectic patterns, often
juxtaposing natural elements with industrial
materials. He was awarded a MacArthur
Fellowship (aka the ‘Genius Grant’) in 2010.

124 Opposite page: Tile, Jorge Pardo 125

 JOHN PAWSON

Born into a Halifax textiles family,

John Pawson went on to become one of
the leading lights of British architecture,
renowned for his clean-lined, near-monastic
simplicity and ability to strip a space back
to its essentials — a minimalist but often
breathtaking interplay of light, lines and forms.
His buildings across the world have earned
numerous awards; his work has been the
subject of a Design Museum exhibition; and
Pawson himself was made a CBE in 2019
for services to design and architecture.

126 Opposite page: M01, John Pawson 127

 MARIAN PEPLER

Architect and designer Marian Pepler was

one of the most important 20th-century
figures in British rug design. One of the
few women of the time to study at the
Architectural Association school, she also
trained in weaving, and produced more than
90 rug designs during her lifetime, from
the 1930s onwards — many for the furniture
designer Gordon Russell, who became her
brother-in-law. Designed with a modernist’s
restraint, Pepler's rugs are characterised by
soft, earthy colours and simple abstract lines.

128 Opposite page: Peru, Marian Pepler 129

130 Puebla, Marian Pepler Benin, Marian Pepler 131
 ANDRÉE PUTMAN

Over a career spanning in excess of four

decades, Andrée Putman worked with
landmark properties and iconic brands
around the world — as adept at reinventing
a Louis Vuitton handbag as a private home
in Tangler. As the creative mind behind
the interiors of Ian Schrager Morgans Hotel
in New York in 1984, the French-born
designer set the style tone for the entire
boutique hotel movement and left an
indelible mark on 20th-century style.

132 Opposite page: Two Lines, Andrée Putman 133

 STUDIO SHAMSHIRI

Founded by the brother-sister team of

Pamela and Ramin Shamshiri, Studio
Shamshiri is a multi-disciplinary design
firm, working internationally across
residential, commercial and hospitality
projects. Research-driven and collaborative
in its approach, the studio is known and
respected for its restoration work on
homes designed by iconic architects, and
its expertise in traditional building methods.
The firm is based in the Thompson Building,
a Hollywood landmark restored by Studio
Shamshiri in 2017.

Opposite page: Snake & Pomegranate, Studio Shamshiri

134 Pages 136–137: Snake & Pomegranate, Studio Shamshiri, Schindler House, West Hollywood. Photograph by Yoshihiro Makino. 135
136 137
 Above, left: Tiger Lightning Bolt, Right: Pyramid Deco. Studio Shamshiri
138 Opposite page: Tiger Lightning Bolt, Studio Shamshiri, Schindler House, West Hollywood. Photograph by Yoshihiro Makino. 139
 Above: top, left: Simple Fringe V; top, right: Simple Fringe III; bottom, left: Simple Fringe I; bottom, right: Simple Fringe IV, Studio Shamshiri
140 Opposite page: Tiger Lightning Bolt and Simple Fringe, Studio Shamshiri, Schindler House, West Hollywood. Photograph by Yoshihiro Makino. 141
 Above, left: Tibetan Tantric; right: Tibetan Tantric Neutral, Studio Shamshiri
142 Opposite page: Tibetan Tantric, Studio Shamshiri, Schindler House, West Hollywood. Photograph by Yoshihiro Makino. 143
144 Geometric, Studio Shamshiri Lion Rug, Studio Shamshiri 145
 Above: Constellation, Studio Shamshiri
146 Opposite page: Constellation, Studio Shamshiri, Schindler House, West Hollywood. Photograph by Yoshihiro Makino. 147
 GUNTA STÖLZL

As the only female master of the Bauhaus,

textile artist Gunta Stölzl is arguably the
single most influential figure in the modern
history of Western woven art. Under her
leadership, the school’s weaving workshop
was transformed from neglected depart-
ment to one of its most successful facilities.
During her tenure, she updated the focus
from pictorial work to more industrial designs,
introducing radical ideas from the world of
modern art to weaving, and initiated experi-
ments in materials and methods that helped
shift weaving into the modern age.

148 Opposite page: PL174, Gunta Stölzl 149

150 639, Gunta Stölzl 447, Gunta Stölzl 151
152 675, Gunta Stölzl 663, Gunta Stölzl 153
 KIM THOMÉ

Originally from Bærum in Oslo, Kim Thomé

came to the UK in 2006 to study at the Royal
College of Art, and has lived and worked in
London ever since. His work ranges from
product development to major architectural
installations, characterised by the use
of graphic elements, optical play, geometry
and colour. Thomé has worked on major
commissions with the likes of Wallpaper*,
Bloomberg, and Swarovski — for whom he
created ‘Zotem’, a monumental 18m column of
crystals installed in the V&A’s entrance hall.

154 Opposite page: Twenty-Five Percent, Kim Thomé 155

 WILLIAM TURNBULL

Scottish painter and sculptor William Turnbull

was working as a labourer in Dundee when
he first took up art via evening classes. This
led him, first to illustration at DC Thompson,
publisher of the Beano, then to the Slade
School of Art in London. Disillusioned by the
school’s approach, he left without completing
the course, began exploring sculpture
(a stint in Paris introduced him to Giacometti),
and went on to develop a remarkable body
of abstract work that helped define postwar
sculpture in Britain.

Opposite page: Untitled 1957, William Turnbull

156 Pages 158–159: Untitled 1957, William Turnbull 157
158 159
 DAVID WEEKS

Born in Athens, Georgia, and initially trained

as a painter and sculptor, David Weeks
established his New York studio in 1996, where
he designs lighting, furniture, and household
products. In 1999, he joined forces with
designer Lindsey Adelman to found Butter,
a product-development company focusing on
simple, affordable items for the home. Weeks’
designs can be found in Barney’s New York,
Saks Fifth Avenue, MGM Grand Las Vegas,
W Hotels and many more locations worldwide.

160 Opposite page: Bulle, David Weeks 161

 MICHAEL YOUNG

Known for their cartoonish contours and

colours, Michael Young’s designs combine
a minimalist industrial aesthetic with a
distinctly playful sense of humour. Born in
Britain but now based in Hong Kong and
Brussels, Young has spent over two decades
pushing at the boundaries of experimental
design, whether working on projects for the
likes of Cappellini, Magis and The Conran
Shop, or taking on high-profile interiors
commissions in the Far East.

162 Opposite page: Organic Fractals I, Michael Young 163

 CRAFTSMANSHIP

The hand-making of a rug is a slow and complex process, demanding

a wealth of craft skills and great patience. For thousands of years, the
weavers of the world have been transforming raw fibres, first into yarn,
then into art. In the great rug-making cultures of the world, such as
those found in Afghanistan, India and Turkey, talents are passed down
between generations of craftsmen and women, each artisan specialising
in a different stage in the rug’s journey to existence. At Christopher Farr,
every one of these steps is equally important, and we ensure that no
corners are cut in the process. Every rug takes as long as it needs to.

It begins with the fibre — wools, silks or plant-based fibres such as jute,

hemp, cotton and linen. This is handspun into yarn, then dyed, by hand,
in small batches before it reaches the loom. Once the ideal textural
finish to suit the artist’s design has been identified, the weavers knot
or weave the yarn through a stretched mesh of warp threads, giving
form to the rug and life to its design. Once trimmed, finished, washed,
and dried, the rug is complete — the final chapter in an age-old story
of craftsmanship and collaboration.

164 Opposite page: spinning wool into yarn in India. All photographs by Hashim Badani unless otherwise stated. 165
166 Above photograph by Lorenzo Tugnoli; courtesy of Turqouise Mountain. 167
168 Opposite page: weaver prepares to hand-knot a rug. 169
 Opposite page: an artisan carving rug motif by hand. Above: a weaver finishing rug with bound selvedge.
170 Pages 172–173: a custom rug hand washed with wooden paddles to soften the wool fibres. 171
172 173
 BESPOKE & CUSTOM DESIGN

Of all the decorative features of a room, it’s often the rug that makes
the strongest statement and ties together the overall design. A one-
of-a-kind rug, made with high quality materials, can become the soul
of a space for generations — a highly personal aesthetic expression.
At Christopher Farr, we specialise in individual rugs, designed in close
collaboration with our clients. Because everything is made to order,
we can modify existing designs from our extensive portfolio to almost
any colour, size or shape; or develop a new bespoke design specifically
to fit the intended space.

174 Opposite page: photograph by Sean Hazen. 175

176 177
 OUR MATERIALS

The design is only part of the story. Much of a rug’s beauty and tactility
is down to the materials from which it is made. The most beautiful pattern
on paper can fall flat if poor-quality fibres are used. For over 30 years,
we have endeavoured not only to source the finest-quality wools, silks,
jutes and other natural fibres, but also to push their material possibilities
in new aesthetic directions. Over the years, we’ve experimented with and
mastered numerous fibre blends to achieve optimum textural finishes
and explored countless methods of hand spinning to create yarns that
patinate wonderfully as they age. Increasingly, we’re investigating
the potential in recycled and sustainable fibres, so we can combine
the highest material quality with the lowest ecological impact.

178 179
 RESPONSIBLE TRADING

Traditional rug making by hand is an endangered craft, a heritage

artisanal practice often based in parts of the world where war,
political instability or economic uncertainty threaten the livelihoods
and wellbeing of rug makers and their families. Since our inception,
Christopher Farr has been determined to both preserve historic
craft traditions and to support the communities that rely on them.
We work closely and actively with a number of organisations who
have made it their mission to champion the welfare of rug makers
and their families, and to implement ethical practices and fair-trade
principles in the industry.

180 181
 Label STEP — Fair Trade in Handmade Carpets

Established in Switzerland in 1995, Label STEP is a non-profit organisation

set up to safeguard and improve the lives of weavers and other workers
in the rug-making industry. It maintains fair wages and working conditions,
promotes sustainable and eco-friendly production methods and supports
educational programmes for employees.

Christopher Farr is a certified Label STEP Fair Trade partner and we

undergo regular independent audits of our supply chain to ensure
we comply with — or exceed — Label STEP’s fair-trade standards at every
stage in our production process. Because of this commitment, every
Christopher Farr rug helps improve the lives of the people who created it.

label-step.org

CARE & FAIR — Education and Health for Carpet Knotting Families

Focused on the heritage carpet-knotting communities of India, Nepal and

Pakistan, Care & Fair exists to maintain fair labour practices throughout
the carpet industry. Care & Fair was founded in 1994 by a group of carpet
importers determined to eliminate child labour from Indian rug production
and to ensure that the children of weaving communities had access to
decent education.

Christopher Farr is an active member of Care & Fair, and works with the
initiative to improve living conditions for traditional rug makers and their
families, and to ensure that the highest standards of welfare are sustained
at every step in the crafting of our rugs.

care-fair.org

TURQUOISE MOUNTAIN — Reviving Afghan Tradition Arts

The once-magnificent arts and architecture traditions of Afghanistan

have been all but eradicated by decades of war. Turquoise Mountain was
founded by HRH the Prince of Wales in 2006 to protect and revive them.
Through regeneration projects in historic areas, the initiative works to
create jobs, revive endangered skills and restore dignity to Afghan men
and women whose lives have been transformed by war.

In the years since its establishment, Turquoise Mountain has expanded

its scope to encompass projects in Myanmar and the Middle East, helped
establish more than 50 businesses in Kabul, curated international exhi-
bitions, and restored hundreds of war-damaged buildings. Christopher Farr
works closely with Turquoise Mountain to rebuild the Afghan rug-making
industry and sustain a regional craft that dates back thousands of years.

turquoisemountain.org
182 183
 ARTISTS & EXHIBITIONS

Marrying the craft tradition of rug making with the creative breadth of
contemporary art has been the overarching mission of Christopher Farr
since the beginning. Over three decades, we have collaborated with a
roster of globally renowned artists and emerging talents to realise their
visions on the loom — beautiful artworks taking shape in the interplay
of threads. The rugs that have resulted from these partnerships have
been presented at headline exhibitions in some of the world’s most
prestigious galleries and institutions, including Sotheby’s, Somerset
House, the Tate Modern, Hepworth Wakefield and the Royal Academy
in the UK, the Hammer Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in the
US, and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar.

184 Opposite page: Form through Colour at Somerset House, 2014 185
186 Has the Day Invaded the Night? Has the Night Invaded the Day?, Louise Bourgeois Untitled, Anish Kapoor 187
 CLOTH

Art, design, material and making define the house of Christopher Farr
Cloth, which was born from a collaborative spirit to encompass fabrics,
wallcoverings and accessories, building upon Farr’s unrivalled expertise
in custom handmade rugs and tapestries.

Cloth nurtures close relationships with like-minded makers who share

a commitment to mastering their skills, whilst remaining open to
experimentation. Indeed it is a commitment to the finest materials and
most skilled craftsmen that has underpinned the creative direction of
the house since its inception. A continued passion for time-honoured
screen printing processes and artisan weaving, an intellectual yet playful
approach to design along with a preference for natural European linen
creates a complex harmony that is far greater than the sum of its parts.

Christopher Farr Cloth’s palette of instantly recognisable hues acts as

a unifier that draws together the creative expressions of a varied array
of artists and designers, from historical to contemporary. The stories
that surround our unique designs enrich the products but do not define
them. Archival collections, originally created for a different era are
revived in fresh colours and can be paired with contemporary patterns
and textures as one desires.

188 Opposite page: chairs upholstered in Drum design by Neisha Crossland. Photograph by Chris Horwood. 189
 INDEX

190 191
Camino Real Child's Room Rug DRXVII Red Meander Oztek Spandau Vulcania Zadar
Anni Albers Anni Albers Anni Albers Anni Albers Kim Alexandriuk Kim Alexandriuk Kim Alexandriuk Kim Alexandriuk

Smyrna Rug Study Rug Tapestry Study Study (1926) Sithond’s Snows Fishes Water Wheels
Anni Albers Anni Albers Anni Albers Anni Albers Gillian Ayres Cressida Bell Cressida Bell Cressida Bell

Homage To The Square: Black Setting Homage To The Square: Less and More Homage To The Square: New Gate Homage To The Square: Study Leaves Rafters Rafters II Rafters III
Josef Albers Josef Albers Josef Albers Josef Albers Cressida Bell Tony Bevan Tony Bevan Tony Bevan

Homage To The Square: Yellow Eden Dresden Istria Korčula Amandaala Bar I Bar II Bar III
Josef Albers Kim Alexandriuk Kim Alexandriuk Kim Alexandriuk Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee

192 193
Bar IV Bar IV Tan Block Brush Le Reve Le Reve Multiply Left Hand Penny Falls
Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee

Brush Charcoal Brush Silver Casa Cliff Hanger Cast River Runner Rome Tree Line Three Squares
Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Sandra Blow

Chalk Circle Draw Etch Directionless Flowers Has the day invaded the night? Reverso
Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Tord Boontje Tord Boontje Louise Bourgeois Bowles & Linares

Etch Neutral Heat Herringbone Iron Banana Drift Block Runner Burgundy Mist Twist Points
Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Kate Blee Michael Boyd Michael Boyd Michael Boyd Michael Boyd

194 195
Double Arrow Lozenge N1 N2 Sitio Border Sitio Outdoor Tribal Tribal Runner
Michael Boyd Michael Boyd Michael Boyd Michael Boyd Commune Commune Commune Commune

Seafoam Curve Sonic Blue Slant Assembled Stripe Brushstroke 36-24-36 Day Garden Leopard Runner Oasis
Michael Boyd Michael Boyd Collett-Zarzycki Collett-Zarzycki Ilse Crawford Maxime De La Falaise Maxime De La Falaise Maxime De La Falaise

Dash Ink Stripe Big Plaid Kaleidoscope Black & Blue Green Circle Walters Room Asawa
Collett-Zarzycki Collett-Zarzycki Commune Commune Gregory Evans Gregory Evans Gregory Evans Christopher Farr

Kaleidoscope Jute II Klimt Plaid Sitio Atlas Bancou Barragan Berrow

Commune Commune Commune Commune Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

196 197
Boardwalk I Boardwalk II Boardwalk III Brasilia Code III Code IV Crimson Tide Crosby
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

Brean Brean Silk Caracas Chan Chan II Cuckmere Delaunay Eclipse Eothen I
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

Chan Chan III Chan Chan IV Chan Chan V Chan Chan Silk Eothen II Eothen III Eothen IV Gadara
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

Close Blue Close Saffron Close Charcoal Code II Gadara Red Black Guggenheim Guggenheim Dark Huaras
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

198 199
Huaras IV Huaras V Huaras Silk Jetty Shoreline Shoreline Black Sonar Tapa I
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

Jetty II Knot I Knot II Latitude I Tapa II Long Run III Long Run IV Tread
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

Latitude II Latitude IV Latitude VI Maglis Unearth Crossing Crossing Black Crossing Orange
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

Polar Bear Portal Rei Rockburne Conf 371A Conf CF 197B Untitled CF188 Untitled CF196
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr

200 201
Untitled CF7 Vanishing Point Windrush Wyld Twilight CF112 CF114 CF115
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Romeo Gigli Josef Herman Josef Herman Josef Herman

Zele Zele Smoke Untitled 219 Variations (Black on White) CF116 CF117 CF118 CF119
Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Kaffe Fassett Terry Frost Josef Herman Josef Herman Josef Herman Josef Herman

Platonism Big Bang Junior Blue Moon Equator CF373 CF374 CF39 CF41
GamFratesi Romeo Gigli Romeo Gigli Romeo Gigli Josef Herman Josef Herman Josef Herman Josef Herman

Flying East Northern Lights Star Gazing String Galaxy Stromboli Door Rug Magnolia Door Rug 1047 4036 Door Rug 2001 2007
Romeo Gigli Romeo Gigli Romeo Gigli Romeo Gigli Georgie Hopton Gary Hume Gary Hume Gary Hume

202 203
Door Rug 4022 4062 Door Rug 7026 1036 Door Rug 8123 8050 Gravitation Less Travelled Nightingale's Ode Over the River Thaelia
Gary Hume Gary Hume Gary Hume Irene Infantes Melissa Kirkpatrick Melissa Kirkpatrick Melissa Kirkpatrick Melissa Kirkpatrick

Levitation Magnetism Sevilla Anemone I Dovetail Untitled 885 Code Stripe Code Stripe Runner
Irene Infantes Irene Infantes Irene Infantes Bill Jacklin David Linley Nancy Lorenz Ptolemy Mann Ptolemy Mann

Anemone II Anemone III Anemone IV Anemone VI Red Green Landscape Violet Yellow Landscape Ladder Wire
Bill Jacklin Bill Jacklin Bill Jacklin Bill Jacklin Ptolemy Mann Ptolemy Mann Lisa Miller Lisa Miller

Anemone VIII Egg and Dart Pebbledash Favrille New Heights New Heights II Midtown Condé Nast Rush Hour
Bill Jacklin Kit Kemp Kit Kemp Melissa Kirkpatrick MLK Studio MLK Studio Sarah Morris Olly & Suzi

204 205
Pattern Design Rug Design CF954 Rug Design CF955 Rug Design CF956 M03 M05 M08 Beach
Omega Workshop Omega Workshop Omega Workshop Omega Workshop John Pawson John Pawson John Pawson Marian Pepler

Rug Design CF973 Bloomsbury Cintamani Wide Stripe Benin Fifty Forty Five Peru
Omega Workshop Omega Workshop Rifat Ozbek Rifat Ozbek Marian Pepler Marian Pepler Marian Pepler Marian Pepler

Stripe CF234 CF235 CF238 Puebla Snow’s Hill Twenty Five Woodash
Rifat Ozbek Rifat Ozbek Rifat Ozbek Rifat Ozbek Marian Pepler Marian Pepler Marian Pepler Marian Pepler

Square Rug Tile M01 M02 Dots Five Light Squares Squares Runner
Verner Panton Jorge Pardo John Pawson John Pawson Andrée Putman Andrée Putman Andrée Putman Andrée Putman

206 207
Two Lines Earth Matters Landscape Macassar Geometric Lion Rug Pyramid Deco Simple Fringe I
Andrée Putman Michael Rainsford Michael Rainsford Michael Sodeau Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri

Walking on Water 444 447 639 Simple Fringe II Simple Fringe III Simple Fringe IV Simple Fringe V
Michael Sodeau Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri

640 660 663 675 Snake & Pomegranate Tibetan Tantric Tibetan Tantric Neutral Tiger Lightening Bolt
Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri Studio Shamshiri

PL106 PL124 PL174 Constellation Springtime Venezia Gold Venezia Grey Twenty-Five Percent
Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Gunta Stölzl Studio Shamshiri Michael Szell Michael Szell Michael Szell Kim Thomé

208 209
Thistle Earth Thistle Red Thistle Stone Thistle White Skydive Blue Melda I Melda II Bulle
Timorous Beasties Timorous Beasties Timorous Beasties Timorous Beasties Georgina Von Etzdorf Waldo Works Waldo Works David Weeks

Cave Rug Untitled 1957 Rays Blue Rays Grey Bulle Grey Onda Onda Grey Hudson
Gavin Turk William Turnbull Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf David Weeks David Weeks David Weeks Sophia Wood

Giraffe I Giraffe II Giraffe III Scarf Blue My Scarf My Scarf II Organic Fractals I Organic Fractals II
Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf Michael Young Michael Young Michael Young Michael Young

Scarf Red Nirvana Nirvana II Skydive

Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf Georgina Von Etzdorf

210 211
The publishers have made every effort to trace and contact copyright holders of the illustrations reproduced in this catalogue;
they will be happy to correct in subsequent editions any errors or omissions that are brought to their attention.

All Christopher Farr rugs are handmade. Colour may vary.

We make every effort to ensure accurate colour representation in this catalogue.

Catalogue design: Keith & Co., Los Angeles, California and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. www.keith.co

© 2020 Christopher Farr

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of Christopher Farr.

London Los Angeles

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15 Lots Road Los Angeles CA 90069
London SW10 0QJ Tel: 310 967 0064
Tel: 0207 349 0888 info@christopherfarr.com
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