Lizzo | Noctara

Noctara is a semi-sheen jacquard from Lizzo's Echo collection, woven in viscose and linen. The design is worked in the weave rather than printed, a large-scale pattern drawn through shifts between lustrous and matt yarn, so it reads as depth and shadow across the cloth, more like light falling on a stage curtain than a drawn motif. The viscose gives it a soft lustre and a fluid hand; the linen keeps it dry and natural rather than glossy.

The composition is 84 per cent viscose and 16 per cent linen, at 445 grams per square metre on a 140 centimetre width, with a 61 centimetre vertical and 47 centimetre horizontal repeat. It has a Martindale rating of 20,000 rubs, fine for light domestic upholstery but not for the main sofa, and Lizzo lists it for upholstery, curtains and cushions. There are six numbered colourways, in a deep, shadowed palette that suits the night-time idea behind the design; order by number.

We use Noctara at the window first, as a lined curtain in a dining room or bedroom where the sheen can catch lamplight in the evening, and on the pieces that are looked at more than sat on: a bedroom chair, a headboard, a pair of large cushions on a plain sofa. It pairs well with matt plains, a wool or a heavy linen, that let the surface do the talking. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

The 61 centimetre repeat needs matching across widths, so add one repeat per drop when calculating curtains, and cut cushion fronts centred on the motif. Line and interline it as a curtain to give the viscose some body and to protect it from sun, which fades viscose faster than most fibres. For upholstery, allow a repeat per panel and keep to lighter-use pieces; it will wash at 30 degrees on a mild cycle, though we would dry clean once made up.

• Composition: 84% viscose, 16% linen
• Width: 140 cm (55 in)
• Pattern repeat: 61 cm vertical, 47 cm horizontal
• Weight: 445 g per square metre
• Abrasion resistance: 20,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Gentle wash at 30°C on a mild cycle; do not bleach; medium iron up to 150°C; dry clean with perchloroethylene; do not tumble dry; spinning permitted
• Collection: Echo, Lizzo
• Colourways: 6 (numbered)