We’re back with our final Fabric Focus of the year and, much like we did earlier in the month, we thought we’d dedicate these final posts of 2025 to some designers we’ve housed over a number of years. Known for his stunning florals, eye-catching colourwork and timeless prints, let’s take a closer look at all things Philip Jacobs.
Part of the Kaffe Fassett Collective with Kaffe and Brandon Mably, Philip Jacobs’ love for design began at an early age. Taking inspirations from the natural world around him, Philip’s journey with art led him to a degree in fashion and textiles from Hornsey College of Art. Via their website, FreeSpirit offers more background on one of their most loved designers:
“Philip started off designing fabrics for dresses, bedding and home furnishings in the early 1980`s, becoming Design Director of the English fabric house Ramm Son & Crocker in the late 1980s. He has designed fabric and wallpaper collections for the world’s great fabric houses, including: Zoffany, Brunschwig & Fils, Lee Jofa, Colefax & Fowler, Marks & Spencer, Baker Furniture, Andrew Martin, Liberty, Osborne & Little, Hinson, Hardy Amies and many more. His work has been illustrated in numerous books and magazines and was used for the decoration of part of the White House during the Clinton administration.”
They continue:
“He is now designing fabric as part of the Kaffe Fassett Collective and under his own label Snow Leopard Designs for the FreeSpirit brand. The Snow Leopard collections are inspired by “exotic cultures from distant mountains and valleys” and as well as his trademark classic florals, contain a more exotic element. His inspiration is drawn from his vast archive of 18th, 19th and 20th century fabrics, wallpapers, paintings and brocades.”
On his socials, Philip has been kind to welcome others into his space virtually, where his winter workspace features covered walls of original artwork by Japanese artists Hiroshige and Hokusai, along with his own fabrics and trinkets collected from his travels. In a recent Facebook video, he offered viewers a closer look at one of his latest paintings; a complex design that features Peonies in various stages of bloom, all hand-painted and based on French fabric, with its origins dating back from the 1800’s. A truly fascinating space and a great peek behind the curtain to see where such magic is created.
When he’s not designing textiles, Philip’s an avid fossil hunter, coming across some truly incredible findings on his travels. Back in 2022, he found part of a pliosaur skull under the cliffs East of Kimmeridge Bay, said to be over 150 million years old. A fascinating discovery and with thanks to Philip, the finding of a seemingly previously unknown species of pliosaur. You can watch Philip discuss his incredible findings here on YouTube.
His love for fossil hunting has also found its way into his designs, such as his Urchin prints, along with Ammonites and past fossil patterns. However there are certain designs in particular that continue to enrapture so many of us year after year.
Blooming Wonderful 💐
Philip Jacobs is well-known for his bold and beautiful florals, so we thought we’d highlight a couple of ranges that are big hits, and not just with us in the fabric room, but with you, too. Each time his classic prints return to stock, you lovely sewers and quilters out there are quick to pop some of these eye-catching prints in your baskets.
Our reorders are further proof that Philip’s designs prove timeless, as both of his Brassica and Japanese Chrysanthemum ranges have been a staple of our fabric department since it began. Charming us all with beautifully contrasting shading, striking colourways and intricate details, it’s no wonder that these ranges continue to be such a hit with you all.
As for our favourite colourways, it tends to change throughout the seasons, as he really does have all bases covered! Yet as we were going through our racking to gather inspo for this dedicated post, we felt drawn to the Blush, Red and Green in the Japanese Chrysanthemums. As for the Brassica, earthier tones such as Rust, Brown and Moss still caught our eye, even in the Winter season. Yet whatever the weather, there’s always a Philip Jacobs print that’s perfect for any project.
We’re always keen to see what you’re all making and if you’ve created a project using some of Philip’s designs, we’d love to see! Be sure to tag us in your projects by using #WWCrafters and we’ll share some of our favourites.
In the meantime, we’re gearing up for 2026 here in The Craft Room as we’re excited to dive into some fun new features, alongside our usual posts with some fresh and exciting things to share with you. If you haven’t already, be sure to enter your email down below to subscribe to The Craft Room, where you can stay up to date with what’s happening ⤵️✨
Thanks for reading our Fabric Focus posts throughout the year! Wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year to come 🎆 See you next time!