J. Press Explores the Art of Ivy With One-of-One Pennant Quilts
Priced from $5,000 to $12,000 USD, the quilts are offered in partnership with author Richard English.
Summary
- J.Press Creative Director Jack Carlson and collector Richard English partnered to create 161 unique collaged quilts from English’s archive of felt university pennants.
- This initiative, aligning with J.Press’s Ivy League roots, coincides with the release of English’s book, The Pennant, celebrating the traditional flags.
When Rowing Blazers founder Jack Carlson joined J.Press as its new creative director and president, it was widely suspected that the scholarly designer would bring his archival references and anthropological approach to the 102-year-old brand. His latest initiative does just that: in partnership with author and collector Richard English, J.Press’s special collection reinterprets the university tradition of the pennant.
With 161 one-of-a-kind pennant quilts, Carlson reimagines the keepsakes into collaged artworks that can be hung or draped over furniture. The concept is indeed in line with J.Press’s origins, having been founded in 1902 at Yale University and solidifying a strong Ivy League aesthetic over many decades. Additionally, with a Ph.D from Oxford, Carlson is just as much an archaeologist as he is a designer — a quality that made him an ideal successor for J.Press.
The collection of quilts arrived as part of the release of English’s “The Pennant” book — a celebration of the tradition as a symbol of “aspiration, achievement, and community.” Over more than 30 years, English amassed an archive of thousands of pennants.
Starting in 2018, the collector began cataloguing and organizing them before combining them into thematic bodies of work. Tapping a haute couture seamstress, now located in Laguna Beach, CA, his thousands of pennants were meticulously crafted into a unique collection of American folk art.
On Wednesday, October 29, J.Press held a launch with the author, where he signed copies of the book and displayed several quilts. The book is available now in a standard edition and a J. Press edition, which is presented with a slipcase and a J. Press pennant.
See the gallery above for a look at some of the collection highlights and see the full range at the J. Press webstore.
