Design Notes: A Look at Fashion’s Silk Specialists
A newer resource at LA Textile, Pongees has become a special presence for our designer attendees who get to see the company’s premium silk collections in Los Angeles.
—
CONTACT
sales@pongees.com | Tel:+44 (0) 20 7739 9130
Pongees Lingerie Mood Board - click to enlarge
80 YEAR HISTORY
For over 80 years Pongees has been regarded by the global fashion industry as the silk fabric specialists. The company’s origins lie in Switzerland, a country that has historical connections in silk trading with China for hundreds of years. In the mid 19th century, Ostertag Hausamann Faes was established and quickly became a leading silk trader.
In 1931, a branch office was opened in London under the name Pongees Ltd - pongee being a generic term for a group of Chinese silks that were especially popular at that time. The main objective was to sell mainly greige fabric for the printing industry for silk ties and scarves.
Today, Pongees offers a collection that comprises an extensive range of plain dyed, embroidered and jacquard silks to meet the exacting demands of couturiers, fashion, bridal and lingerie designers and manufacturers, luxury retail brands, costumiers and interiors specialists. Fabrics are sourced from leading mills in France, Asia and the UK.
Pongees Evening Wear Mood Board - click to enlarge
THE SILK SPECIALISTS
Pongees is the first choice for beautiful silks, including tulles, chiffons, crepes, douppions, habotais, organzas, velvets and mohair. Pongees prides itself on the colour options it offers, with some qualities available in more than 100 shades. Additionally, most of the fabrics are mulberry silk, the highest quality silk available.
CUSTOM COLOR DYEING
For buyers looking for a unique colour, Pongees also offers a bespoke dyeing service, again with low minimums.
IN STOCK, LOW MINIMUMS, READY TO SHIP
Pongees fabrics are available from stock, with a 1 metre minimum order. More than 1000 fabrics are held in its UK warehouse. Delivery is fast by UPS or customers can use their preferred shipper.
NEW MOOD BOARDS
New for this season are a series of inspirational mood boards covering daywear, eveningwear, bridal, lingerie and interiors with samples of the types of silk that are popular for these markets. These range from light satin and organza through to heavier qualities such as ottoman and marocain.
For daywear, habotai, crepe supreme and stretch satin are options, while for eveningwear Pongees is suggesting fine rib twill and floral tulle. French lace and stretch satin remain favourites for lingerie and for bridal it is all about texture with organza and lace.
Plain silks that can be easily individualised with a print, such as habotai, or marocain and douppion that can be personalised with embroidery, are being tipped as fabrics that will do well for the coming season as designers want to create an even more individual look.
Pongees Day Wear Mood Board - click to enlarge
Pongees Marocain
SUSTAINABILITY AT PONGEES
Pongees actively promotes improving the impact the business has on the environment and the proportion of materials and components which are obtained from sustainable sources. As a silk supplier Pongees fabric is entirely woven from fibres that come from natural sources, are biodegradable, and support a low environmental impact.
WHY WE RECOMMEND PONGEES TO all designers
Apart from the superior quality of their natural-silk fabrics:
Designers Can Buy Small Quantities: Minimum 1 metre (1 yard) for sampling with the confidence that the fabric of their choice is immediately available when a design goes into full production as Pongees keeps stock of all its fabrics.
From Couturiers to Students - Pongees Caters to All: All buyers are treated equally, irrespective of the size of their order or frequency of purchase. Pongees works with leading couturiers and major brands, as well as fashion students looking for fabric for projects and their final year collections.
One-On-One Consulting: Pongees’ knowledgeable sales team is ready to help designers and fabric buyers secure the right fabric for their collections.
Pongees Interiors Mood Board - click to enlarge
Pongees Habotai Lupin
VIRTUAL SHOWROOM
Pongees has launched a new website that makes it even easier for designers to see the full range, be inspired by its fabric suggestions and educational news items, and order fabric, swatches or shade cards at a time when it may not be possible to view the collections at exhibitions or in its London showroom.
headquarters
Pongees is based in the UK, with headquarters just outside of London and a showroom in Shoreditch, a trendy, designer led area in the East End of the capital.
