Exploring stories behind objects from the IWM collections and the Liberty archive, an exhibition trail at IWM London highlights remarkable examples of how individuals have defied, endured, and survived the hardships of war, conflict, and incarceration through craft and creativity.
Further reflecting on this theme, the Liberty design studio worked with IWM and Project Ambassador Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe - who turned to sewing and craft during her years of confinement, to create three new fabric designs that explore creativity as a form of healing.
The Passage of Time portrays changing seasons from the viewpoint of an incarcerated individual. A rigid foundational structure formed from fragmented impressions of buildings and rooftops evokes the monotony of confinement.
Obscured Landscape merges a geometric Liberty-archive motif with landscape sketches by British war artist Anthony Gross from the IWM collection, inspired by Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s experience of observing the outside world from confinement.
Stitch and Community visualises growth and transition through a Tree-of-Life-inspired design drawn from Liberty archival artworks, layered over handwritten letters from the IWM collection.
\nThe initiative supports Fine Cell Work with a donation of 225 metres of the new fabrics. The UK charity provides paid, high-quality craftwork opportunities to prisoners, helping them build skills, purpose, and dignity to support rehabilitation and reintegration.
Creativity in Conflict & Confinement is on display at IWM London until the end of February 2026.
Artist Louise Giovanelli has unveiled a temporary public artwork at St Mary-le-Strand Church on Strand Aldwych. Responding to the UK’s first English Baroque church, designed by architect James Gibbs, Giovanelli reimagines the south-facing façade with a striking composite image of a draped curtain, creating a sculptural trompe-l'œil that highlights the church’s significance as a key architectural landmark.
Liberty’s design studio collaborated closely with Giovanelli, incorporating the iconic Ianthe design into the composite image to form the final artwork. The collaboration merges Liberty’s heritage craftsmanship with Giovanelli’s mastery of illusion, enabling the design house’s fabric archive to engage in a thoughtful dialogue with London’s built environment.
Decades is commissioned by Create London for Westminster City Council, and developed with support from David Chipperfield Architects. The commission is made possible thanks to support from Westminster City Council, London Heritage Quarter, Liberty, and White Cube.
\nDecades by Louise Giovanelli is on display at St Mary-le-Strand Church until 18 January 2026.
Liberty and William Morris Gallery present a major exhibition on the occasion of Liberty’s 150th anniversary, celebrating the pivotal role and contributions of women textile designers throughout the design house’s history.
Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles brings together iconic designs by creatives including Althea McNish, Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell, and Lucienne Day, showcasing how women have been, and continue to be, central to Liberty’s creative innovations. The exhibition features over 100 works, spanning garments, fabrics, original designs, film, and historic photographs.
The exhibition opens with the motifs and defining moments that established Liberty’s cultural significance - from its famed ‘Tudorbethan’ storefront, to iconic garments crafted from Liberty prints. The second section explores how women designers shaped Liberty from its earliest days, and how Liberty became a space where women could move from domestic craft to professional creative practice.
A key section restores recognition to designers whose contributions were historically overlooked, including Jessie M. King, Lucienne Day, Althea McNish, Mrs Stonely, and Madeleine Lawrence. The exhibition concludes by tracing Liberty fabrics in fashion from the 1930s to today, highlighting the design house’s 1960s revival and its enduring influence.
Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles is on display at William Morris Gallery until 21 June 2026.
NOTES TO EDITORS
ABOUT LIBERTY
\u200bLiberty is a movement dedicated to discovery, animated by arts, culture, design and the pursuit of beauty. Liberty is famed for its original curation, directional design and celebration of craftsmanship. In the spirit of our founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, Liberty remains unapologetically eccentric and committed to bringing good design to all.
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\u200bliberty@camronglobal.com