 Entrepreneur, designer and supermodel Christie Brinkley has partnered with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores to create an eco friendly collection of fabrics.
The brightly colored fabrics, exclusively available in Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, are made with organic cotton or recycled polyester that’s made from plastic bottles.
“I wanted to design fabrics that are great looking and casual but, as a mother of three and a longtime environmental advocate, I also wanted the fabrics to be environmentally friendly,” says Christie Brinkley, who studied art and design in Paris, France prior to becoming a model. “I was thrilled when Jo-Ann asked me to create a line of sustainable fabrics because it’s important for me to know that I am doing everything I can to ensure that our children inherit a healthy environment. Supporting organics is a huge step in that direction!”
Michelle Christensen, vice president, general merchandise manager for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, believes the fabrics will be well-received by customers. “Christie’s fabrics will appeal to both the customer who is seeking sustainable fabric as well as the customer who is drawn by fresh designs and color,” says Christensen. “We are very excited to partner with her on this project.”
While Christie Brinkley is recognized as one of America’s most successful models, she is also an accomplished artist, writer, photographer, designer, actress and humanitarian. “But above all, I’m a mom,” says Brinkley. “I still have two young children running around my house, jumping on furniture. I need easy-care fabrics. The fact that they are made of sustainable fibers makes them even more appealing.”
According to Kerry Glasser, founder of New York-based Concept Marketing Group and licensing agent for Christie’s home program, “This is an ideal association for both Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores and Christie because it allows Christie’s design aesthetic and her commitment to the environment to be showcased by a national retailer with a considerable customer base.”
Aside from using organic cotton and recycled polyester, printed designs are created using a waterless process, a green method that has virtually no waste water. “My commitment is to use eco-sensitive fibers and fabrics to create a collection that combines my love of global design with a distinct American point of view,” explains Brinkley.
The inspiration for the collection is Christie Brinkley’s Hampton’s beach house where Christie collects seashells, pieces of driftwood and seaglass, which she turns into works of art. The fabrics in the range include a seersucker stripe, and a variety of prints on both recycled polyester and organic cotton blended matelasse.
They’re perfect for the window, bedding, decorative pillows, slipcovers and more. Colors range from beachglass blues and greens to the rich corals of the sea. Christie Brinkley joins a growing roster of other American homedécor design names at Jo-Ann, including Liz Claiborne, Nautica, Christopher Lowell, Tommy Bahama, Waverly and more. |