BREAKING THE INTERNET WITH CUSTOM MADE PYJAMAS
FRIEDMANS LTD. (UNITED KINGDOM)
MIMAKI TS300P-1800
Episode one of the highly anticipated second season of popular BBC TV series, Killing Eve, sparked a frenzied pursuit of a distinct pyjama design made famous by its central character, Villanelle (played by Jodie Comer), who stalked the streets sporting pop-art inspired kids’ pyjamas. This lead to a social media storm from viewers desperately trying to track down the night-time attire.
Fans of the show eventually traced the bold pyjama design to Friedmans, a design studio and printed fabric supplier based in Greater Manchester, UK. According to the company’s design manager, Nick Thomas, the initial order was placed by Killing Eve’s production company, Sid Gentle Films, through Friedmans’ Funkifabrics web-to-print website.
So how did this collaboration all come about? Killing Eve’s costume department had decided against off-the-peg for this particular ensemble. Stretch fabric was key to the storyline; the outfit had to appear tight on Comer, as if she was wearing children’s pyjamas, but still retain her freedom of movement. The pyjamas were finished with red trim at the cuffs to highlight how short they were. Thanks to Friedmans, Sid Gentle Films were able to produce a one-off bespoke pair of PJs that stood their ground amongst a collection of looks from a television show commended for its outlandish and luxurious fashion choices.
In the end, what could have been an expensive and time-consuming task for Killing Eve’s production team was made simple by Friedmans, providing a case-in-point on the benefits of digital production in the world of fashion. Printed on a Mimaki TS300 dye sublimation printer (purchased through authorised Mimaki partner, R A Smart), the design was transferred using a rotary heat press onto polyester-lycra blend fabric.
The unexpected surge of attention has been welcomed by Friedmans: “It was as much a surprise to us as anyone else that our design ended up in the limelight. It only really came to our attention when we saw the interest on social media after the first episode had aired.” “We were delighted to see the print receive such a positive reaction – especially as the show is so synonymous with great costume design,” enthuses Thomas.
By using Mimaki digital production, Friedmans’ Funkifabrics offers customisation of the fabric choice, the scale of the design and run lengths from just 0.5 meters – all with speedy lead times. With Friedmans’ ongoing investment in wide format textile print technology and software, they are continuing to grow as a business and reach an ever more varied customer base. Combining this with a forward-thinking workflow, they can focus on providing on-demand delivery for customers big and small. The vibrant, customised pyjamas worn by Comer in Killing Eve are a perfect example of what can be achieved when great vision, talented design and first-rate technology come together.
View the full article: Killing Eve Sparks Pursuit of Digitally Printed Pyjamas
For more info on their products: www.funkifabrics.com • www.friedmans.co.uk
MACHINE SUPPORTED BY R.A. SMART • https://www.rasmart.co.uk/
