An unprecedented milestone in the design industry has been achieved with the just-announced acquisition of Frank Cassata Archives by Springs Creative, resulting in the formation of the largest design archive in the history of the industry, according to a press release from Springs Creative.

This event strengthens the prominence of Springs Creative and its partnership with Baxter Mill Archive Design Center as a leading hub for artistic inspiration and innovation.

With the addition of the Frank Cassata Archive library, which specializes in traditional to modern designs, one-of-a-kind apparel, and home decorative archives as well as an extensive collection of over 700 wallpaper and fabric swatch books, this propels the Baxter Mill Archive Design Center to an unparalleled level. Boasting a repository of over one million documents, textiles, fabrics, and artistic creations, the center now encompasses the legacy works of the former Springs Global archive collections including Springmaid, Wamsutta and Lowenstein, Concord House, and Daisy Kingdom. Additionally, it houses two previous acquisitions: The Ilene Danchig and Alicia Messina Studio Archives.

Derick Close, chairman and CEO of Springs Creative, expressed his excitement about the expansion. “The incorporation of Frank’s remarkable assortment now grants us access to well over one million designs,” he says. “In our commitment to fostering a collaborative environment, the Baxter Mill Archive Design Center stands as a testament to our dedication to providing clients with the opportunity to directly engage with seasoned textile designers and artists: from inception of great creatives to just-in-time digital printing of new curated collections.”

Frank Cassata, who will be consulting with Springs Creative, began collecting textiles as a hobby in the 1990s after careers in architecture/interior design, travel, and culinary arts says he was looking for a way to share what became his massive collection with designers. “I love traveling, I love discovering, and I love finding these wonderful textiles and making this information available and being the eyes for the great companies we help,” adds Cassata.

“Since I know the history and provenance of every piece in the archive, I am looking forward to presentations on the collection and helping to set it up in its new home,” he says, adding, “And of course, there is designing. I am looking forward to helping design wallpaper and prints for a broader audience.”

Eager to embrace the cultural landscape, the Baxter Mill Archive Design Center will be housed in the new The Thread complex, situated in the heart of Rock Hill, South Carolina. “We envision this new location as an ‘inspiration destination,’ where designers can access abundant resources, nurturing their creative ideas and envisioning limitless possibilities,” says Kathy Phillips, chief curator of Baxter Mill Archive Design Center. “They can literally design their collection in the morning, utilize our creative services and CAD technology in the afternoon, and leave with manufacture-ready files or have our state-of-the-art textile digital printing operation put those designs to fabric the next day.”

To learn more about the Baxter Mill Archives Design Center and to schedule an appointment for an in-person visit or online consultation, please contact:

Kathy Phillips, Chief Curator Baxter Mill Archives: Kathy.phillips@baxtermillarchives.com

Hilary Gaul: hilary.gaul@baxtermillarchives.com

Ashlyn Beck, Decorative Fabrics Design Manager: Ashlyn.beck@springscreative.com

Frank Cassata: frank@frankcassatadesigns.com

Derick Close CEO Springs Creative: derick.close@springscreative.com

David Edge, VP Springs Creative Digital Printing: David.edge@springscreative.com

Kathryn Lawrie, Marketing: Kathryn.lawrie@springscreative.com

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Apparelist. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Apparelist.