For Autumn / Winter ’19, Chinti & Parker presents a collection that celebrates the trailblazing spirit of the Bloomsbury Group – and the unique beauty of their enchanting country meeting place, Charleston Farmhouse in Lewes, East Sussex. Step inside and take a look…
This set of artists, intellectuals and writers embraced a bohemian way of life which was largely at odds with their strict Victorian upbringings. Their culture centered around sexual equality, freedom and fierce intellectual debate. At the heart of the group, original feminists and sisters, Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell were viewed as rebellious and alternative: a mood that is captured in our new-season offering. Slogan jumpers are emblazoned with the word 'Sister' as a tribute to their relationship.
Named after their association with Bloomsbury in central London, the set also had a strong affinity with the Sussex landscape and would often spend their weekends out in the countryside. In 1916, Vanessa permanently moved to Charleston Farmhouse with her lover, the artist Duncan Grant, where they lived until their deaths in 1961 and 1978, respectively. A portrait of Vanessa, painted by Duncan, provided the starting point for the season’s hand-painted polka dot.
Shortly after they moved in, they began to cover every visible surface, wall, table and last piece of crockery with glistening strokes and intricate swirls of paint. Soon the inside of the house would be adorned in colourful print and pattern from floor to ceiling, an aesthetic that couldn’t have been further from the rather more conservative interior design associated with the time. The imaginative use of colour throughout the house has inspired the collection, where a bold palette evokes a feelgood aesthetic.
The garden also gradually underwent a transformation at the hands of painter and art critic, Roger Fry. Described by Vanessa as a ‘dithering blaze of flowers and butterflies’, the beautiful gardens have influenced our AW19 hand painted floral print which features across a silk dress, tiered skirt, loose blouse and a pair of tailored trousers.
The sheer amount of visual art to be seen at Charleston House contradicts the common perception that the Bloomsbury set was predominantly literary. In fact, the three chief painters of the group, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and Roger Fry now hold a significant place amongst prominent British artists of the early twentieth century.

Immaculately preserved, today the house allows a rare glimpse into the glorious minds of these pioneering creatives and the eccentric lifestyles they pursued.


Photographs of Charleston House interior and exterior by Tony Tree courtesy of Charleston Trust. Find out more about Charleston House at www.charleston.org.uk

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