At Pooky, we’re a little obsessed with materials. We spend an inordinate amount of time seeking out the very best of them. Feeling, testing and experimenting, and asking: what can this material do that others can’t?
In this series, The Language of Materials, we take a closer look at the substances that shape the things we make, exploring their origins, their qualities and the long traditions of craft behind them.
Here’s a look at the shimmering, light-catching, legend-wrapped appeal of silk…
Few fabrics have inspired quite as much admiration as silk.
Almost 400 years ago, the Cavalier poet Robert Herrick tried to capture its peculiar magic in his poem Upon Julia’s Clothes: “Whenas in silks my Julia goes…” He was transfixed by the way silk seemed to flow and shimmer as it moved, what he wonderfully called “the liquefaction of her clothes.”
It is a strange phrase at first glance, but a perfect one. Silk does have that almost liquid quality: lustrous, fluid, light-catching and quietly theatrical. No wonder it has been associated with luxury, refinement and sensuality for thousands of years.
Silk has a fascinating, legend-rooted history. It has travelled across continents, adorned palaces, transformed interiors and adapted itself to changing tastes and technologies. And, as popular today as it has ever been, it remains one of the most beautiful materials for lighting.
At Pooky, we offer more than 300 different silk lampshades, in colours ranging from the jewel-like intensity of peacock and fuchsia to the subtle sophistication of alabaster and taupe.
Silk: legend has it…
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We need to wind back at least 5,000 years and travel to ancient China to discover the origins of silk, which allegedly happened by accident. According to the story, a silkworm cocoon fell into the Empress Leizu’s tea… When the empress tried to remove the hapless cocoon, she was surprised to see it unravel into a fine thread, shimmering in the light.
We may never know whether the story is true, but we do know that China developed a major sericulture industry cultivating silkworms to produce silk. As was so often the case with its valuable materials, China kept silk production methods a closely guarded secret, for centuries. Silk fabrics were the preserve of the imperial court and high society and were used to adorn palace walls, and for ceremonial furnishings and elaborate textiles.
With the expansion of trade routes, however, silk gradually worked its way towards the west along what would become known as the Silk Road, or rather roads plural and sea routes; it was, in fact, a transcontinental 4,000-mile network of routes, linking East Asia to the Mediterranean.
Ancient Roman writers would marvel at the delicacy and high cost of silk, which initially found its way onto the backs of the empire’s wealthiest citizens, who then began to use silk for interior decoration. No fashionable Roman home was complete without silk wall hangings, bed canopies and decorative textiles.
Silk: more elaborate and more decorative
By the Middle Ages, silk production was well under way in European centres such as Lucca, Venice and Lyon, and flourished during the Renaissance. Silk was used for richly patterned damasks, brocades and velvets, often layered to soften and transform the austere interiors of outwardly grand architecture. Weavers, embroiderers and textile artists began to work with silk, creating elaborate designs inspired by myths, the natural world, and distant lands.
Silk’s heyday
If silk could be said to have enjoyed a golden age, it would be the 17th and 18th centuries. French manufacturers were in the ascendancy, and their luxurious textiles could be seen in palaces, stately homes and elegant townhouses.
In the late 17th century, some 25,000 French Protestant silk weavers fleeing religious persecution brought new skills to Spitalfields in London’s East End. They transformed the area into a highly regarded textiles hub and their intricate designs were to have an impact on British fashion and design that continues to this day.
In France, meanwhile, just as it had celebrated the wonders of glass, so the Palace of Versailles celebrated silk, with wall coverings, embroidered upholstery and ornate draped curtains. Baroque and Rococo interiors were renowned for their theatricality; silk’s ability to capture and reflect light played to this. Floral motifs, chinoiserie patterns and intricate weaves were popular.
Silk at home: from industrialisation to the 21st century
Industrialisation changed many aspects of textile production and heralded the arrival of affordable artificial silk, but genuine silk never lost its appeal. It found a natural home in Victorian layered maximalism, making its way into bedrooms and informal drawing rooms. Beyond upholstery, silk became a decorative feature in its own right, adorning interiors with tassels, swags and tails. Innovation in dye technology widened silk’s colour palette, heralding the arrival of deep, rich jewel colours such as emerald, ruby and sapphire, making the fabric even more luxe!
But, as in politics, so in interior design; after centuries of opulence and excess, in the 20th century the design pendulum swung in the opposite direction, towards a more restrained use of silk. It became an accent material for cushions, curtains and, of course, lampshades. Silk’s light-catching luxurious finish complemented Art Deco features such as mirrored surfaces, and lacquered and metallic finishes.
Silk’s natural lustre, depth and variation holds a strong appeal for today’s interior designers and homemakers. As we know, only too well at Pooky, nothing beats a silk lampshade for casting a warm, inviting glow. Silk cushion covers add a light texture, silk curtains bring elegance and, in a nod to Robert Herrick, a sense of fluidity to a room. What we love about silk is its ability to make an impact without resorting to the excess of previous ages. A single carefully chosen silk item can elevate its entire surroundings.
The rise of the silk lampshade
The earliest lampshades were handcrafted, something we celebrate at Pooky, with skilled artisans stretching silk over wire frames. The fabric could then be embellished with embroidery, fringing (very popular with the Victorians), painted motifs or tassels. The arrival of electricity in the late 19th century enabled designers to experiment with new styles, shapes and fabric patterns, from the flowing organic forms of Art Nouveau to Art Deco’s geometric silhouettes. Mid-century designs featured simpler shapes and, inevitably perhaps, greater use of cheaper synthetic fabrics, a trend that has continued to this day. But, as every good interior designer knows, no synthetic substitute can match silk’s ability to diffuse light and add a unique atmosphere to a room or space.
Silk: the Pooky range
Pooky has an extensive range of silk lampshades, including the finest Dupion and taj silk.
Dupion is a crisp, medium-weight pure silk woven from raw fibres, featuring a natural, irregular texture and a distinctive sheen. Pooky’s Dupion lampshades are available in drum and empire shapes, including tapered versions.
Our Dupion shades do not come more vibrant than in fuchsia (this is the 45cm drum). Alternatively, this ivory empire shade is a great example of a softer, neutral dupion silk. Our drum and empire shades come in six different sizes.
Taj silk is a very delicate lightweight fabric with a soft matte finish and, being dyed rather than woven with contrasting threads, a monochrome colour. Its translucency and uniform, slub-free texture makes it a favourite for lampshades that offer elegant, soft-glow lighting.
The softness of taj silk is ideal for gathering. Here’s our 25 cm tall, tapered cream shade.
And ending with a flourish, we think this tall, tapered raspberry shade is simply irresistible, displaying gorgeous taj silk gathering at its best.
Browse all Pooky silk lampshades here.
Recommended reading:
Silk: A World History by Aarathi Prasad is a fascinating and highly acclaimed exploration of the biology, natural history and future of silk.
Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion by Claire Allen-Johnstone et al is an authoritative, heavily illustrated sourcebook that showcases the V&A Museum’s extensive textile collection, exploring weaving, knitting, dyeing and printing techniques.
The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan is a global bestseller that tells the story of the interconnected silk trade routes that shaped empires, religion…and the fate of civilisations.
See also:
The Language of Materials: Paper
The Language of Materials: Rattan and cane