Rare is the fabric company whose story includes both the coronation of Edward VII and the collapse of Dessin Fournir. Watts is just such a brand. Formed in the late 19th century as a collaboration between three noted English architects, the company has a deep history producing ecclesiastical textiles and decor, including garments made for the crowning ceremonies of every British monarch since 1902. At the same time, Watts plied its trade in the residential market: Creative director Fiona Flint tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast, “As [clients] came down the stairs to [our offices], you just checked out the legs: Were they a bishop, or were they a designer—were they wearing a cassock?”
In the late 1980s, Watts split into two companies, one focused on religious products and another on fabrics and wallcoverings for the secular market. The latter brand—now called Watts 1874—has had an up-and-down history in the States. After being discovered by multilines in the 1990s, it made its way into the American market via showrooms like Ainsworth-Noah and Dessin Fournir. But ultimately, Flint and the brand’s managing director, Marie-Séverine de Caraman Chimay—a fifth-generation descendent of one of the company’s founders—opted to pull the line from showrooms and build direct relationships with U.S. designers. In recent years, they’ve had success connecting with luminaries like Timothy Corrigan, Michael S. Smith and Ken Fulk.
“We didn’t feel we were truly represented; it was detrimental to go through a third party [because] they didn’t understand us,” Flint says of the clash between the brand’s focus on custom and the typical presentation strategy of its onetime showroom partners. “The nature of our product, the emphasis on bespoke, the emphasis on potential—because we are selling potential in our line—that just isn’t the way an American thinks. They want to see it, buy it, done.”
Crucial insight: “At the top end of the market, they expect [an extreme level of customization],” says Flint. “They expect to be able to walk in and [look at a wallpaper] and say, ‘I love this, but I want my house in this drawing. I want my dog behind that tree. I want this damask, but I want it in peach.’ There’s a great sophistication in people’s demands now.”
This episode is sponsored by Four Hands and Surya. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
The Thursday Show
BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including last week’s port strike, why Zillow is highlighting climate risks, and Hurricane Helene’s impact on the design community. Later, designer and author Nasozi Kakembo joins the show to talk about her new book, The African Decor Edit.
This episode is sponsored by Loloi and Isla Porter. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
