Grafton fashion fabrics

A couple of weeks ago at knitting club my lovely friend rummaged in her knitting bag and produced this leaflet for me. It was such a great find on her part and kind of her to give it to me. It is a concertina folded leaflet showing a range of Grafton fashion fabrics, made up in the styles of the day.

Grafton Somakan - a 'soft, gleaming acetate rayon that
looks and feels like fine silk crepe'.

I love this dress, that back detail is so interesting and the fabric is pretty. I wish it was in colour!

Grafton Range 3 - 'gay separates for leisure wear,
 with the emphasis on leisure! Cotton skirt print.'

Fabulous daisy and stripe print skirt.

Grafton Range 16 - 'casual sophistication is the theme of
this distinctive stripe design in rich, glowing colours.
screen printed poplin.

Mind out for the cacti! This photos wins one of random use of props awards.

Grafton Range 19 - 'for elegant town wear, a geometric one
colour design styled in a high necked dress with three
quarter sleeves and a detachable over skirt.

I also want this one. It is so elegant.

Grafton Barcarolle - 'novelty basket weave 'Minimiron'
cotton  in many plain colours, guaranteed fast'.

I very much like the structure and shaping of this dress and the fabric sounds interesting. Minimiron sounds great to me!

Grafton Range 9 - 'luxurious Caple screen printed cotton
satin. The superb two tone design of huge poppies on a
white background is a bewitching choice for evening wear
and the fabric's soft draping quality is shown to
perfection in this specially designed dress with deeply
swathed skirt.'

Gorgeous and bewitching no less!

Grafton Range 2 - 'beguiling young dress with the cool
look of summer enchantment. Range 2 cotton in a print
of delicate shaded flower heads against a darker trellis
of leaves on white ground'.

Beguiling and enchanting?! You can't go wrong in one of these.

Grafton Range 5 - 'charming 'young miss' dress with
trimmed cross-over back and big patch pockets. Any little
girl would be enchanted with the nautical design of brightly
coloured fishes and mothers will like the hard wearing
 cotton.'

Big pockets and brightly coloured fishes?! I will take one.

F.W.Grafton & Co Ltd were based at 65 Oxford Street in Manchester and was first started as a calico printing business at different premises in 1856. They then expanded into other fabric types. I have struggled to find out much about the company but I have found examples of their furnishing fabrics here and here.