How did the partnership between Sunbrella and Block Shop come about?

Emily Robinson: Block Shop has inspired the Sunbrella design team for so many years. I reached out to them asking if there was any potential to come together and design a collection of performance textiles. We were thrilled when they responded with an immediate yes!

Grier Stockman: We’ve dreamed of working with Sunbrella for years! Sunbrella is hands-down best-in-class when it comes to thoughtfully made, exceptional quality performance fabric. That’s what’s so thrilling about our partnership: This line feels handwoven and bespoke, supremely soft and livable.

What was the starting point for this collection?

Robinson: Each of Block Shop’s playful designs tells a story, honoring the past while adding its own unique perspective to the narrative. We started by hunkering down with the Block Shop team in our Burlington, North Carolina, design studio, mapping out the story we wanted to tell and exploring how we could use Sunbrella’s weaving capabilities and extensive yarn bank to bring that story—and Block Shop’s signature block-printed aesthetic—to life in new ways.

What was the inspiration behind the new collection?

Stockman: This collection was inspired by the Hollyhock House, Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Los Angeles landmark, built in 1919. The Hollyhock House was commissioned in a style described by Wright as “California Romanza,” and was originally intended to be an artists’ colony. It marks the beginning of Wright’s textile block structures of the 1920s, whose symmetrical geometries are offset by unexpected floral motifs and stained-glass flourishes.

We’ve spent many afternoons picnicking around the Hollyhock House, admiring those striking geometries and making sketches inspired by the unusual architectural motifs. With this collection, we sought to bridge the art deco–inflected geometric and floral design vernaculars in a way that feels fresh and timeless, reflecting the spirit of the legendary building, which is a place of respite and beauty for so many Angelenos.

What about the collection feels fresh and exciting?

Robinson: This collection is a breath of fresh air in the performance fabric category, boasting vibrant scale, color play, and unexpected pattern inspirations—from the cinema culture of Jaipur, India, to the floors of the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. What’s especially exciting is how the collection channels Block Shop’s iconic design language while introducing a completely new level of tactility and practicality. Each pattern offers a rich interplay of visual and textural elements, translating two-dimensional sketches into three-dimensional works of art.

What piece are you most excited to unveil?

Stockman: It’s hard to choose just one, but these standout patterns each offer something truly special:

Key: Our striking riff on the iconic Greek key pattern, originally named after the Meander River in present-day Turkey, and symbolic of the river’s winding path. We reimagined the ancient design in alternating checks and a mirrored trellis pattern that celebrates the undulating flow of life.

Juggle: As playful as it is visually arresting. Inspired by the 1980s Prince tennis-gear graphics of our youth, but reimagined in a rolling repeat reminiscent of juggling tennis balls. A statement pattern to bring your favorite space to life.

Verdugo: Celebrates the beauty and resilience of the Verdugo Mountains, which have been impacted by recent fires here in our hometown of Los Angeles. An instant classic. We reimagined the silhouette of our beloved mountain range using our signature repeated stripe-and-dot motif.

Backgammon: Draws from the classic design of vintage backgammon boards. We added a raised chenille dot to bring a luxe, handmade feeling to this beautiful woven stripe.

How do you feel this collection pushes your brands forward?

Stockman: This is our first line of performance fabrics, expanding the possibilities for where and how our designs can be enjoyed in the home. At Block Shop, we tend to design for our own lives and needs. And right now, we’re in the life chapter of toddlers spilling juice everywhere, friends eating on our sofas, and dogs tracking muddy paws into the house. Much like us, our customers need fabrics that can stand up to the wear and tear of busy, indoor-outdoor lifestyles.

Robinson: Through story-rich patterns and vibrant colorways, Block Shop’s designs carry a contagious exuberance that infuses every space with joy and playfulness, while still feeling elevated and timeless. This collaboration invited us to expand the visual language of our offerings, introducing a rich new design perspective through eye-catching color, textural and scale combinations, and unexpected patterns that inspire, delight and endure.

How does the collection build on or complement your other offerings?

Robinson: The Hollyhock collection represents an exciting extension of Sunbrella’s legacy in performance textiles, while ushering in a new visual dimension. No color or design possibility was off-limits, and true to the Block Shop way, the final color, pattern and texture combinations are both joyful and striking.

Stockman: Our partnership merges the strengths of two textile leaders with a passion for the rich history of textile production.  Block Shop started as a celebration of block printing 12 years ago, while Sunbrella has been a leading U.S.–based textile producer since 1961. We share an attention to detail, obsession with quality, and compassionate approach to business, plus a love of woven fabric that beams its way through every single design in our new line.

Tell us about the materials in this collection. Are there certain materials used throughout, and/or a material that is a highlight of a particular piece?

Robinson: The fabrics in this collection were designed and woven in the Carolinas, and are non-PFAS and 100 percent Sunbrella solution-dyed acrylic. Their cleanability, durability and fade resistance are built in at the fiber level and won’t wear away.

How do you envision designers using this collection?

Stockman: At Block Shop, we create unique, vibrant designs that aim to serve as the exclamation point of any space. We continue to see people gravitating toward opportunities to add a little joy to their interiors, as well as materials that can be used both indoors and out without compromising comfort, style or performance.