Textile Diaries- For the Love of Cabana Stripes
TEXTILE DIARIES COLUMN Let’s Talk About The History and Our Love For Cabana Stripes
I love timeless Cabana Stripes, and they remind me of beach umbrellas and canopies often seen dotting the coast of Southern Italy and France. They remind me ships and sailors, and well, the nostalgia of summer and I think of steamer ships and high-society travel.
I did my research on this nautical stripe, and Let me tell you about this iconic pattern we often see on textiles in both home and fashion. This pattern has a long history settling into beach-side living.
The history: Many believe they were inspired by the nautical stripes worn by sailors on the French Riviera in the 1880’s- these sailors wore the official navy uniform of Breton Stripe so they could be seen if falling overboard. Stripes can be found in 19th-century Europe in landscape seaside paintings, in home and in fashion, The bolder, wider stripe “Cabana Stripes” became popular as the beach culture developed through the `19th century often seen on textiles with colorful alternating colored-stripes with a bold white then another color, and were used on outdoor furniture, cabanas to give sunbatheres some shading.
The Greenbrier Hotel
Cut to the 1940’s & 1950’s in America- the styled and wide stripe became a craze and often used on resorts symbolizing casual, leisure living associated with high society and tied to a glamorous lifestyle. When the Private pools in homes increased, the need for textiles that could withstand the heat and sun increased as well, and the canvas stripes soared. A perfect pairing of a functional canvas stripe with the appeal of the ease and high society of lounging and vacationing, the Cabana Stripe became the mid-century modern vibe associated with glamour. In fashion during that era, Fashion Designer Coco Chanel incorporated the look with her fashion making it the ultimate chic design and giving the term “cabana” (a small beach side hut) more sophistication. Interior Designer Dorothy Draper used Cabana Stripes in the famous Greenbrier Hotel project and created a green and white striped lobby. 
Slim Aarons, Palm Beach
Today, the Cabana Stripe holds a nostalgia for that era- think a Slim Aarons photograph of guests lounging by a gorgeous pool. The pattern holds a retro vibe, and can be seen in the beach house and pool-side aesthetic. The Cabana Stripe continues to grow in popularity even more so with the advancement of textile technology allowing a plethora of materials available for indoor/outdoor living for outdoor furniture, pillows, upholstery and of course for fashion as well in bathing suits and accessories. Both traditional colors of blue and white or red and white are popular as well as bold, vibrant colors of alternating hues. What once started as a practical design has turned into an iconic pattern, and I’m here for it!
More on stripes in my Circus Stripe post!
Happy NestingXO Tamara
