F&P Interiors 25th anniversary special

As part of our 25th-anniversary celebrations, we find out about the first fabric house to join Emma Vans Agnew's F&P Interiors. Having met Emma when she was working at Colefax and Fowler on Althorp House, Marvic Textile owner Peter Afia shares how his passion for the exceptional has led to the highest of accolades

My father Victor Afia founded Marvic Textiles in 1938. His background was in antique textiles. He sourced tapestries and rare rugs from auctions and places such as Paris flea markets, selling them on to discerning interior designers in London, including Syrie Maugham and Oliver Messel, as well as other iconic figures of the time, such as the late Duchess of Devonshire and Princess Margaret.

I adore collecting antique textiles from around the world and these very much inspire us in our contemporary designs. I relish the design and manufacturing process, working with my design team from the conception of each new range through to the edit and finalisation of new patterns. I also love working with our great designer customers.

When the Lanesborough Hotel first opened its doors in 1991 (the building up until that point had been the original St George’s Hospital), Marvic was asked to provide fabrics for the complete fit out. This was incredibly exciting.

More recently, we have been pleased to work on many great hotel and residential projects with renowned designers. These include David Mlinaric, Nina Campbell, Emily Todhunter, Martin Brudnizki, Alidad, Christophe Gollut, Mark Gillette and many others. A memorable recent installation is by Studio Friedmann & Versace at the Hotel La Pérouse in Nice, using our beautiful Fiamma fabric (pictured in header image).

The trusted qualities of our exclusive fabric ranges attract customers from all over the world. The classic lines of Renishaw, Safari velvet and Misa Moiré not only have a timeless appeal from a design perspective, but also the quality and technical expertise used in the manufacturing process means that they can be used recurrently and be utterly relied on to look beautiful.

Misa Moiré in particular has become an iconic fabric for us. It draws on the past and can be seen in period films such as Emma as well as in contemporary interiors as both wall coverings and drapery.

A recent example includes a project the team worked on with the Martin Brudnizki Design Studio. Our Misa Moiré Stripe in sage and coral was used as a signature fabric in the elegant refurbishment of La Plage Parisienne Restaurant in Paris. Misa was used to upholster banquettes and cushions to striking effect, punctuating the overall interior design scheme.

In addition to having a large archive of antique textiles from which we derive inspiration, my design team and I regularly visit trade fairs both in the UK and abroad. We keep closely abreast of new developments and innovations in the weaving and fabric printing world. We frequently visit museums and art galleries and may be inspired by an interesting design on a tile, or even a painting depicting fabrics worn by historical figures from as far back as Elizabeth I’s reign, such as the Lampas Elizabeth fabric (pictured below).

Providing the textiles for Mayfair House in New York was a proud moment. However, one of the greatest honours of my career was to supply velvet for the congregation chairs at the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

We treasure the skills and craftsmanship of our weavers and printers. They have faced great challenges in yarn supply in recent years. This inevitably has consequences for us. Despite this, we have managed to launch a wide variety of successful ranges. Of course, no business can run without a great operations and design team, and ours is amazing.

I would like to see Marvic continue to grow and consolidate its presence both in the UK and abroad, particularly in the US, expanding our customer base and increasing brand awareness every year. We recently launched an indoor/outdoor collection, Bel Air, which was an exciting step for us. I would like to develop more in this area and further explore performance fabrics.

"One of the greatest honours of my career was to supply velvet for the congregation chairs at the Coronation of King Charles III in 2023"

Peter Afia, owner of Marvic Textiles

When F&P Interiors originally launched, it seemed a great opportunity for Marvic Textiles to come on board. I thought if anyone could make a fabrics and wallpapers business work online, Emma could. I was and remain impressed by Emma’s drive and business vision.

The exposure to a wider and relevant market, which our brand gains through F&P, is really valuable to us. In addition, we feel there is brand compatibility with Marvic and other brands represented by F&P Interiors. It’s a great on-going business relationship.

F&P Interiors provides the interior design world, and indeed consumers, with the choice of so many beautiful and practical fabrics from the comfort of your own home or office. The site is easy to navigate and offers browsers the chance to compare products easily from a design, price and availability perspective.

Images courtesy of Christophe Coënon with Studio Friedmann & Versace at Hotel La Pérouse (header image, Fiamma fabric); Marvic Textiles (Lampas Elizabeth in duck egg, right); (Misa Moire Stripe, used in the film Emma, below).

F&P Interiors is passionate about inspiring customers to create timeless, beautiful spaces to cherish. We bring artistry to every detail with carefully curated selection of designer fabrics, wallpapers and furnishings from exceptionally crafted sofas to bespoke curtains and cushions.

Championing more than 120 independent brands, we make luxury interiors accessible and uniquely yours. Our expert, friendly team delivers outstanding service to make every project – big or small – a seamless experience.

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