That's Toile Folks!

A plague of toile has descended across our land, infecting everything from drapes to swim wear, and even children and Mickey Mouse. Where did this stuff come from? When will it stop? What's next? What's exempt? How do you pronounce toile? How many gratuitous links to toile things I can fit in? Is toile the root in the word toilet?I used to think it was pronounced "toe-lay", or "two-LEE" (like some sort of short fingered vulgarian). Well here's a news flash, it's pronounced "twall", like yall, wall and scrawl.A little research has revealed this print is actually Irish in origin and damn ancient for a fashion trend. “The miller, his wife and his ass" is universally accepted to be the first toile print. It was produced in about 1752 by Francis Nixon at the Drumcondra Printworks near Dublin, Ireland by using hand–carved wooden print blocks. The monochromatic design was a hit in England and France.

Oh Boy, A Factory!

The French loved the print so much they set up a factory to make it in Jouy-en-Josas, a little town near Versailles. They named the factory the Manufacture Royale de Jouy (Royal Factory of Jouy). “Toile” means canvas or cloth & “Jouy” represents the abbreviated name of the village, Jouy-en-Josas. Eventually folks got lazy, dropped the "jouy" and kept the "toile" which I guess rolled off the tongue better than Drumcondra. The French soon improved the manufacturing process and may have been making a better product than those who originated it.In 1779 the French introduced copper printing plates to the production of this fabric. The copper was great, it produced very precise, crisp details, allowed for kilometers of fabric to printed rapidly and the copper rolls where more durable than the wooden blocks used by the Irish. They hired scads of fab artists to create images for this fabric and the industry did really well until a short little guy, replaced the existing democracy with an oligarchy, and wrecked the French economy, partially thru militarism.

Almost 300 years Later

Something happened at the turn of the last century, perhaps the ascendance of toile is what were all afraid of that New Year's Eve 1999. Researching toile I found the below excerpt at the LA TIMES site, (I'd include a link but it has more cookies and pop ups than an "Angelfire INsync Tribute Page")

Question: I'm wondering how much toile might be too much, since these patterns appear quite busy, Should I limit it to draperies or upholstery — or maybe only pillows? I do like a relaxed, semi-cluttered look.

ANSWER: Toile should be used in abundance. And while it does mix well with more rigid patterns such as stripes, checks and plaids, toile must be the predominant pattern in any room where it's displayed.

Whoa, does that smack of decorative colonialism or what! I can just see Rachel Ashwell banging her cottage print mule on a whitewashed basin stand squeaking out "toile must be the predominant pattern in any room where it's displayed."

Children, Small Mammals, Switch Plates-all Victims

Walt Disney (copyright-register-bow down before them) is using toile in a startling number of goods for children. (Though I feel Disney's work is straddling a line between French/Irish Toile and Dutch Delft/Japanese blue pottery in style.) Winnie the Pooh baroque china? It's just silly, almost as silly as inflicting toile on your pets.

For those testing the waters of toile or going completely overboard, there's the last forgotten frontier of the light switch plate. I can't believe my house, which over-runneth in crap, has stock switch plates-I'm so ashamed.

The future and Enduring Appeal of Toile

Casual reading reveals the "new Victorian Look" is reaching maturation but shows indication of having lasting staying power as economic and world conditions increase the amount of time and money fashionable people spend needlessly in and on their homes. (I also think it's old money feel is perfect for new-money white-trash-rooted Mc Mansion dwellers afraid to decorate and who have every wall painted white)

Personally, I think Toile pushes 3 buttons which explain it's appeal.
1. It's pretty-pretty is good, given the choice pretty or fashionable-pretty is always a sure bet
2. It's busy, but simple, thanks to the monochromatic color scheme
3.It's evocative of "better times and better things" (Irish fabric Mill circa 1752, Aunt Patty's guest bathroom circa 1974, or drunk French Ladies in white wigs tinkling on their satin shoes)

Here's a few links to Toile Centered Sites in English

Toile Goods:
http://www.architextiles.com/
http://www.toiletoiletoile.com

Toile History
http://www.geocities.com/walkerswebdesign/toile.html

Toile on a Tile-or even your dead pet on a tile
http://www.AliciaTappDesigns.com