Akira - Coy Up Or Coy Down - That Is The Question

For some time now I have been researching Japanese art and some of it has filtered into our backgrounds for bow ties. There is something so effective about their designs that translates so well into repeats for textiles and with that in mind I had initially tried to design The Great Wave Of Kanagawa as a silk. However, every time I went at it seemed too contrived. So, I found myself back in the realm of coy fish and the waves, which are similar in design structure to that of the The Great Wave Of Kanagawa but simpler, less white wash and bubbles which never get rendered well in woven jacquard silks. I was half way through when Alarico proposed his first iteration of the design and so I asked him to thrash it out and the result, which is probably more complex and more neatly finished than my own designs, is almost exactly what I was hoping for. The trouble is that as you try to finish a design there are so many obstacles that can occur between the design, the translation at the other end when it gets to Italy, the mills interpretations of your written instructions and then finally, what the actual jacquard loom spits out. This is not an exact science and there is room for error at every stage.

Today, however, I am happy. This is a very unique limited edition silk from us and I hope it will be received by our customers with the same enthusiasm. The first batch has been finished with our limited rose gold plated clips and you can shop them now on www.lenoeudpapillon.com

Post Script: Incidentally, last night when I sent off a photo to Alarico he said that he was upset I had placed the coy downstream, when it was good luck to have them facing up, he was adamant that the Japanese would want it that way... so I did some of my own research. And this is what one website had to say:

Upstream

You are currently in a battle or struggle and are still fighting obstacles but won’t give up.
You have overcome obstacles and have now gained the strength you need to continue against the current.

Downstream

You don't yet possess the strength to make it against the obstacles and move towards success.
You have already achieved your goals and overcome your obstacles, and you are no longer fighting the current.

On that basis, I kind of don't mind our coy swimming downstream, as I think it sums up bow tie wearers.