Over the past two centuries, Warner Fabrics has seen extraordinary achievement through the provision of exceptional furnishing fabrics woven in the highest quality silk. From supplying The White House to providing textiles for Coronations, their tale is certainly one worth talking about.
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The remarkable story of Warner begins within the heritage of the 16th century Huguenot scarlet dyers, who in 1685 escaped persecution and the Edict of France fleeing to Spitalfields in London. Benjamin Warner (1828-1908), a descendent of this group, worked alongside his mother and in 1839, when Benjamin was aged eleven, they took over the business of his father, a Jacquard loom harness maker and card cutter. The entrepreneurial Benjamin could see wider business prospects, so when in 1857 the opportunity arose for him to purchase the business, designs and workshop of Alphonse Brunier, he seized this with both hands.
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In 1891, a partnership was formed between Benjamin and his two sons, Alfred, aged 35 and Frank, aged 29, with the firm becoming Warner & Sons. Frank inherited his father’s interests in silk weaving and so in 1907, upon his father’s failing health, the future direction of the firm fell to him, and in 1915 he became sole owner.
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By 1900, the firm was considered the foremost furnishing silk weavers in Britain having won major awards at both national and international manufacturer exhibitions.
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The twentieth century saw Frank Warner (1862-1930) actively promoting better design education and continuing his father’s passion for promoting the silk industry. In 1919, during his tenure as managing director, he introduced power weaving into the workshops. He produced innovative weaving methods for making figured silk velvets culminating in a patent in 1914 for three pile silk velvets, a fabric constructed of three heights of silk pile.
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In 1987, the firm became Warner Fabrics Ltd, where it expanded its product line to include accessories, wallpapers and furniture, acquiring the contract furnishing fabric firm Harris Fabrics Ltd.
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In Warner’s 150th year of existence, husband and wife team Lee and Emma Clarke recognised the huge potential in this prestigious company, acquiring it in 2020. Their initial excitement was further bolstered by a greater discovery of what the firm has achieved in its long history, creating pride for the Clarkes in being able to cherish and continue in this historic tradition. They are determined that both loyal and new customers will continue to be supplied with Warner’s historic chintzes and woven cloths.
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