The Shade Store, the leading brand for premium custom window treatments, announces the launch of Mimi Plange for The Shade Store, an exclusively designed collection of materials for light filtering and blackout roller shades.
A fashion industry veteran whose celebrity-beloved garments have been displayed in museums around the world, Plange makes her debut in the custom window treatments space with an offering that is both playful and elegant. Brimming with texture, color and pattern, the assortment reflects the Ghanaian-American designer’s legacy of storytelling through design with cross-cultural references that deftly marry ancient African traditions and American modernity.
“My collection for The Shade Store is bold yet timeless. The prints are whimsical and playful while remaining elevated and elegant. Each print reflects a bit of storytelling that transports the customer to different destinations in Africa, harnessing a fresh perspective that is abstract, artistic and unexpected,” said Mimi Plange. “Working with the leaders of the custom window treatment space is a dream, and I’m proud of the end result.”
The collection features a range of patterns, including geometrics, abstract florals and playful animal prints. Sources of inspiration include Kente Cloth from Ghana, vintage Victorian illustrations inspired by the Herero women of Namibia and the ancient African practice of Scarification. Fans of Plange’s ready-to-wear collections will delight in subtle references to past seasons. Plange intentionally created the designs to complement one another, making them easy to mix and match throughout the home as well as stand alone. A vibrant color palette, including the thoughtful usage of Indigo, a symbolic hue in Africa, unites the collection.
The Shade Store implemented a brand-new technique to bring Plange’s creative vision to life: printing on its Naturals offerings. Grassweave surfaces offer texture and an abstract feel that is evocative of African design, which inspire the printed patterns. In addition to light filtering and blackout shade styles, the Mimi Plange for The Shade Store collection is also available for solar shades, which block harmful UV rays and prevent fading. The full suite can be customized with motorization for interiors that are beautiful and high-performance.
“Fashion and interior design continue to merge in unique ways, and we’re excited to introduce this first-of-a-kind partnership to the window treatment space,” said Ian Gibbs, co-founder and chief creative officer of The Shade Store. “Mimi has creativity and style in spades, and her East meets West designs offer a fresh and original look to The Shade Store portfolio. Her eagerness to brainstorm and bring her unique perspective to the category has made her an invaluable partner.”
“Window treatments are a key part of dressing a room. In some ways, they can even serve as a functional painting that makes a bold statement or settles the space,” adds Plange. “They shape the atmosphere, offering personality, practical functionality and privacy. The Shade Store’s dedication to high-quality craftsmanship is perfectly aligned with my design ethos. Together, we’ve released something special and new.”
The Mimi Plange for The Shade Store collection includes the following styles:
● Victoria – A nod to Plange’s Spring 2012 collection, this pattern features a surreal collage of vintage Victorian botanical floral illustrations and animal drawings, motifs found in the bold styles of the Herero women of Namibia.
● Botanica Grassweave – This sophisticated floral print is composed of vintage Victorian botanical inspirations, printed on Shade Store’s linear Grassweave to create a beautiful raffia-like texture.
● Kente Plaid (shown above) – Kente cloth is a traditional weaving method of the Akan, Ewe and Asante peoples of Ghana; each cloth is distinct and tells a story rooted in spirituality or history. Working from a single Kente block, Plange reimagined the warp and weft weave in single needle stiches, then layered these stitches to create an abstract plaid that combines the aesthetics of Mali woven indigo fabrics.
● Geometric Grassweave – African scarification, the spiritual and decorative practice of etching patterns on the surface of the skin, is a powerful influence across Plange’s work. It can be seen in her scarification collection from 2010, launched in her brand’s founding year. Now, it takes on a new form in the Geometrics Grassweave, which features a repeating geometric pattern characteristic of Benin traditional culture.
The Mimi Plange for The Shade Store collection will be offered at all of The Shade Store’s 150+ showrooms nationwide and through the online showroom at theshadestore.com. At The Shade Store, expertly trained design consultants are available to assist clients every step of the way, seven days a week, by chat through the website, email, phone or video consultation. Every order from The Shade Store is handcrafted in the USA. To ensure the perfect fit, The Shade Store’s nationwide team of professionals will handle all measure & install needs. Virtual assistance is also available.