NEW YORK — Silks with special appeal don’t have to come from faraway markets like Europe or Asia. They can be found domestically.
One such resource is Blue Bird Fabrics Corp., York, Pa., a necktie and home-furnishings fabric company that has activated 80 looms for production of silk apparel fabrics. Current annual volume for the firm is about $10 million.
Nancy Williams, fabric stylist, in its sales offices at 31 East 32nd Street here, said that the focus is on fabrics in 100 percent silk and blends such as silk with rayon, silk and cotton and, for fall 1995, silk with wool or with precious fibers like cashmere.
“They’re aimed at the sportswear and evening and bridal markets,” the designer commented, showing a large collection of approximately 30 fabrics, ranging from tweeds to twills, “with the natural texture of the silk yarn showing like nubs and neps.
“I’ve taken classic tweeds and interpreted them in silk chiffon. I love tweeds, and I think a lot of apparel designers do, and they need to be played up in a way that the American market can really use them.”
One is a hopsacking weave tweed that’s close to a traditional Donegal, using the nubs that the silk has in it, the stylist said. The silk and rayon patterns include a step-weave dobby in oyster gray and an ivory pebble texture.
Fall 1995 weaves take on an opulence with a silk and cashmere blend cavalry twill and a silk and wool marocain, and more are in the making. “But, for the earlier ones for spring-summer, I’ve gotten some good reactions to a silk and rayon ticking stripe and a silk broadcloth,” Williams said. She also noted that she is doing a 100 percent silk plush.
There also has been good response for some bridal fabrics, including a white silk organza stripe and a gazar-type silk, she said.