William Morris is admired by design lovers the world over. But even people who don’t know the multihyphenate British creator by name might recognize his designs from the vast array of products that feature them: Willow pattern sneakers from Nike, Strawberry Thief boots from Dr. Martens — even an entire capsule collection from Loewe. A new show at the William Morris Gallery, in London, presents these among many other Morris-inspired pieces, including a number donated by the public, according to Wallpaper.
A treat for Morris superfans — those who lust after a panel of his wallpaper or aspire to upholster a chair in one of his textiles — “Morris Mania: How Britain’s greatest designer went viral” also raises a serious question: What would Morris, a socialist who believed workers should make a fair wage and supported handcraftsmanship over mass-production, make of the commodification of his work?
On a lighter note, the show presents pieces by contemporary artisans using Morris’s designs. His legacy may have been commercialized, extending to products he could never have envisioned, but the commitment to quality and craftsmanship it embodies is still practiced and valued.
