It was a textile fabric widely known for creating silk for designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Hubert de Givenchy, Christobal Balenciaga and Coco Chanel.
It was founded in the 19th century, around 1878, by Jakob Abraham.
In 1943, it became a limited company, with its headquarters in Zurich. In that same year, Gustav Zumsteg became the company director.
The fabric gained fame for distributing silk for the international high fashion and prêt-à-porter circle.
Other than silk, Abraham fabric also manufactured cotton, wool, rayon, jacquard and jersey.
Thanks to Zumsteg, the fabric became one of the most important ones of its time. He was an important and well known person among designers and fashion businessmen. And was responsible for beautiful patterns, inspired specially, but not only, by nature and art.
In the 1990s the partnership with Yves Saint Laurent was over, and the fabric was loosing money. In 2002 they were forced to close their doors.
Zumsteg died in 2005 at the age of 89.
In the image above we see two models wearing Yves Saint Laurent for the summer of 1967 made with Abraham’s silk.
In the images below are some patterns designed by the fabric:
Check out:
The Post’s Pinterest Board: https://br.pinterest.com/fashionsummedup/a/abraham
The Post’s Brazilian Portuguese version: https://amodaresumida.com/abraham/
Bibliography:
Callan, Georgina O’Hara; Enciclopédia da moda de 1840 à década de 90 / Georgina O’Hara Callan ; verbetes brasileiros Cynthia Garcia : tradução Glória Maria de Mello Carvalho, Maria Ignez França – São Paulo : Companhia das Letras, 2007.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/the-rise-and-fall-of-a-silk-empire/28623044
http://littleaugury.blogspot.com/2011/04/silk-pirates-abraham-gustav-zumsteg.html
https://culturedarling.com/tag/textiles/