Joe Ruggiero debuting new Sunbrella fabrics at Showtime

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 11/27/2012 1:56:19 PM

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- "Made in America" is the central theme behind Joe Ruggiero's new fabrics for Sunbrella, from hand stitching and quilt making in the Colonial era to colorful apparel from the 1970s. The fabrics will be on display in Glen Raven's showroom during the Showtime fabric fair, Dec. 2-5 in High Point.

"During my travels across the country, we have found that retailers are really gravitating toward products that are inspired by American culture and made in the USA," Ruggiero said. "It's important that we never lose sight of the classic American heritage whether it's great architecture or menswear from design icons such as Bill Blass. These are themes that define the classic American look and are now captured in our new Sunbrella fabrics."

Ruggiero's Sunbrella fabrics debuting during Showtime are comprised of four groups - Hand Woven, New York Geometrics, Native American and American Quilts. The new fabrics emphasize deep colorways and rich textural effects throughout, which are the result of a collaboration among Ruggiero, the Sunbrella fabrics design team and Glen Raven's Anderson, S.C., Sunbrella manufacturing center.

The Hand Woven group authentically mimics the effects of stitching and weaving by hand. Leading this group is the pattern Britches, a striped pattern that looks as if the threads were placed by hand. Colorways are Beach, Pool, Berry and Clay Pot.

Also in the Hand Woven group are Loomed, Zoot and Terra. The pattern Loomed in the colors Gravel, Celadon, Earth, Parfait and Desert has an artsy, raw linen look in a striped effect.

Zoot is a stripe of a different sort, created by the confluence of yarns that appear to bleed into one another. This pattern offers all of the appeal of a solid, such as Ruggiero's popular Trax pattern, but with a punch of color that includes options in Beach, Dusk, Sunset and Coffee.

A third pattern in the Hand Woven group, Terra, features a hand-woven texture that is reminiscent of Bauhaus design. Again inspired by hand weaving, Terra offers a contemporary vibe in an extensive color line of Pebble, Dusk, Lichen, Latte, Barley, Granite, Soot and Sunset.

The New York Geometrics group is comprised of geometric shapes, based on squares within squares popular in home décor and apparel of the 1970s. Leading this group is the pattern Savvy, which offers a youthful look in the colors of Coffee, Sunset, Dusk, Lichen and Sand. Adding depth to the group is the pattern Graduation, which Ruggiero first introduced several years ago. Look for Graduation to re-emerge in the same colorways as Savvy.

The Native American Group was inspired by the looks of the Southwest, but with variations on traditional colorations. The pattern Jax borrows its look from handmade blankets with heavy textural effects in fashion forward colors of Sunset, Pool, Meringue, Azure, Ember and Dusk. A complementing pattern is Capistrano, named after the iconic mission in California. This pattern is an ikat design with a hand woven look in the colors of Beach, Pool, Berry and Sunset.

American Quilts is the fourth group making its debut in the Ruggiero Sunbrella collection at Showtime. The inspiration for these fabrics was colonial times when early American settlers incorporated candle wicks into handmade fabrics, creating the effects of embroidered French knots found in the finest fabrics of the day.

Willis embodies the sophistication of an antique textile, with the look of fabrics that you might find in the Smithsonian as an early example of the finest quilters' art. This traditional pattern is offered in contemporary colors of Pebble, Granite, Meringue, Azure, Turquoise and Sunset.

"We are continuing to make great strides in our Sunbrella fabric designs, yet remaining highly attainable by most American families," Ruggiero said. "The fact that these are performance fabrics - fade resistant, cleanable with bleach - is simply a wonderful gift to the purchaser."