Geometrics. They manage to convey a sense of the modern and the retro at the same time. Geometrics look best in the brightest colours, and it's no surprise that some genuine examples of geometrically patterned 60s and 70s china have made the hire collection.
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| We have an entire tea set in the Eclipse design by Empire Potteries |
A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes which often tend to repeat themselves, although this is not always the case as with our Empire Potteries Eclipse set.
Geometric patterns, with their neat uniformity appealed particularly to the mods in the early to mid 60s, not just through the surface pattern but also in the shapes of a-line skirts.
It's no surprise then, that Peace, Love & Daisy Chains' hire collection includes some wonderfully vibrant examples of genuine 60s geometric china.
We have several pieces in the bright Thomas Pinwheel design of repeating circles - a dinner or cake plate in orange, and a whole set including dinner plates, tea plates, mugs and a sugar bowl in shades of purple and pink. As well as orange and purple, this pattern also exists in blue.
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| The Thomas Pinwheel and Empire Potteries Eclipse Designs |
Our ex-Yugoslav milk pail and enamel teapot, scavenged from the flea markets of Ljubljana, make perfect containers for flowers - a modern-retro twist on using rustic metal pails and containers.
Geometric pattern is a key tenet of Islamic and Moorish design; geometric patterns in Islamic art is often used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of God. Artists would even intentionally make mistakes in the patterns as a way of proving that only god could produce perfection.
As soon as I saw this Staffordshire tea set I knew it had to join the collection. It brings to mind sunny mornings in Southern Spain in a tiled courtyard. Indeed, as the 60s and 70s heralded new, easier ways to travel both for the hippies traveling the Silk Road and the less hip looking for package holidays, patterns which brought to mind foreign shores were reflected - in fashion, textiles and pottery.
...and did you know that we also have salt and pepper pots to hire? These are in the Kalabar design by Palissy, and look super 70s and also channel the southern Spanish-Islamic geometric look!
Geometric shapes for clothes became fashionable in the mid 60s. Rather than the geometric shapes being reflected in the pattern of the fabrics, the fabrics were made up of panels of block vivid colours. The idea was that the fashion was centre stage and took most of the attention, rather than the wearer, transmitting a sharp, contemporary look.
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| From Vogue 1967, via Peter Harris on Flickr |
There are so many ways that Geometrics can be incorporated into a modern-retro wedding or party - from handmade bunting made from geometric-patterned fabric, strings of shapes made from coloured card, to napkins and cushions in geometric patterns. They can be mixed and matched with other styles from the era like our bold flower power china, or pop against more minimal decor. How about using vintage tiles as pot holders for your wedding breakfast?
If you are interested in adding a bit of retro geometric pizazz to your tea party then check our our website and get in touch on hello@peace-love-and-daisy-chains.com.
We are collecting all sorts of geometric inspiration on our Pinterest board.
