“Neutrals are still big but people are now craving colour and design,” he said. “There’s a kind of revolt against neutrals; some designers have been telling us they are being asked to rip out the neutrals. They call it de-neutralising houses.” He is convinced the trend toward greater colour and pattern is most evident in the top end of the market where consumers are looking for greater detail in design.

Also in the firm’s latest selection is an Ikat look in heavy textured cotton linen. Fry noted an evolution was underway, a shift from the natural linen look, which is still in the firm’s collection, to more technically enhanced fabrics. “We have a viscose linen that has a beautiful shine and texture,” he says. “The texture is more technical than a plain linen. We still show greys, silver, whites, clean crisp colours in fabrics that have a softness and suppleness.”