A week ago we learned that we have lost Marc DeLeon, the president and patriarch of Alexander Henry Fabrics. His daughter and son – Nicole and Phillip – have been the artist-illustrators for the company for years. We’ve watched each others kids grow up, sharing photos when we met at Quilt Market. Alexander Henry was one of the first companies who inspired the idea for eQuilter, after I visited dozens of quilt shops and could not find the fabrics I wanted to buy.
For 35 years Alexander Henry has captured the zeitgeist of pop culture, bringing us a portfolio of characters and motifs that delighted and surprised us, again and again. Yesterday we learned that the company will cease production, and the orders we placed last Fall (arriving in the next few weeks) will be their last.
So I just want to share this appreciation for Marc, Nicole and Phillip, and the sassy/witty designs they have shared with us for 3; decades. There will never be another company like this, and if you own a stash of Alex Henry prints, they have just become collector items. Treasure them.
We do have a limited amount of recent Alex Henry prints on the shelf now, and we expect them to go fast. We’ll let you know when that last shipment arrives. We’ve loved the Hunks, Cupid Chihuahuas, Yellowstone cowboys, bright Frida and Dia de los Muertos artwork. The Ghastlie Family, the Skulls and Roses, the Unicorns and Retro Sci-Fi artwork….all part of the Alexander Henry universe.
Now the Neko kitty is waving good-bye (in Hot Pink or Lacquer Red) as the DeLeon family moves on to the next chapter. I spoke to Nicole today, and it was bittersweet. We know they will continue with new creative projects, and perhaps we will cross paths again. For now, we wish all of you at Alexander Henry, our condolences for Marc, and our wishes for a fulfilling next chapter.
If you are still noodling about whether to join my Textile & Costume Italy Tour, I want to let you know that we have to make our hotel reservation commitments soon. I ask you to make your deposit to hold your place, by June 1st please. It is easy to set up a payment plan when you register online.
You can see more of my photos from my research trips in Italy on this photo page. Photos with costumes at Carnival time are on this page. This is a dream trip for serious textile nerds!
Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul
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Travel/Quilt Dates:
June 19-22 – Quilt Canada, Edmonton
July 29 – Aug 5 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
August 27-31 – Speaker at World Wilderness Congress, Rapid City SD
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Tour – Italy. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.