William Morris Vs Liberty Prints

Arthur Liberty started his career as an apprentice draper, after 10 years he started his own business based on the skills he'd learnt as an apprentice. He named his company 'The East India House' and sold only oriental rugs and other fabrics. His business took off to a rapid start, he then began dying some of the fabrics in the style of oriental prints, it was then during the 1920s when he used the liberty print although he first used floral and paisley prints to construct the liberty print. 

William Morris was inspired by Indian sourced textiles. He also was inspired by the culture and studied them using many rich fabrics. Indian textiles at the time were also marketed by Liberty and Co.

William Morris's prints were fairly complex, and he used colours that were particually prominent in Indian fabrics. He was also greatly inspired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, known at the time as the South Kensington museum. He was encouraged to introduce natural colored dyes on fabrics.

There is a link between Liberty Print and William Morris's print designs. They are both British and both inspired by cultural influences, both fabrics are still produced today hand in hand.