Since 1889

F. Schumacher & Co.

The company was formed by Paris-born Frederic Schumacher in New York. He founded his business in the booming metropolis which soon would become the most iconic design brand in the U.S.

1889

An EXCITING YEAR

The Eiffel Tower was inaugurated as the star of the Exposition Universelle in Paris.

Future poet and novelist Jean Cocteau was born.

And the companies Lanvin and Michelin were established.

1898

The Most Discerning Clientele

Soon Schumacher fabrics line the most sumptuous rooms in the country, from private mansions to custom commissions for grand properties like the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

1902

The American Dream

When President Roosevelt selects Stanford White to strip away the White House's Victorian decor, the renowned architect commissions Schumacher to design a shimmering satin lampas—a design that plays an integral role at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for decades to come.

1912

Second Generation

Schumacher’s sole heir and nephew, Pierre Pozier, becomes Vice President of the firm. Pozier not only designs textiles but taps leading artists and designers to create outstanding Schumacher collections, beginning a rich legacy of collaboration that continues to this day.

1913

Defining Tastemakers

Schumacher becomes a go-to source for the world’s leading style setters. Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and decorating connoisseur Edith Wharton purchases many of Schumacher’s French classical designs. Elsie de Wolfe, often cited as the first professional decorator, continually chooses Schumacher fabrics and designs to articulate her singular style.

1924

An American Heiress

Heiress and industry tycoon Marjorie Merriweather Post sources Schumacher fabrics for her Palm Beach estate Mar-a-Lago, one of the largest and most storied homes in America. 

1926

The Breakers

Many of Newport’s sumptuous summer “cottages” are swathed in Schumacher textiles, including Cornelius Vanderbilt’s extraordinary palazzo-inspired The Breakers, now a designated National Historic Landmark.

1930

Paul Poiret

Revolutionary fashion designer Paul Poiret creates a groundbreaking collection for Schumacher full of fresh, exuberant designs that capture the very height of la mode.

1933

Les Gazelles Au Bois

With a signature respect for classicism and an eye toward the cutting-edge, Schumacher is the first major textile house in America to embrace the Art Deco style. A breakout design by Pierre Pozier graces everything from luxury department stores like Bonwit Teller to the most stylish Hollywood sets, including the musical romp A Bedtime Story, starring Maurice Chevalier.

1939

The Big Screen

Vivien Leigh descends the stairs in a famous scene from Gone With the Wind; decorating the walls is Hydrangea Drape, a pattern still in production today.

1944

The Draper Touch

Design luminary Dorothy Draper’s lush, bold sense of colour and scale marks her numerous collections for Schumacher. She lavishes many of these patterns on her dramatic interiors for the iconic Greenbrier Hotel.

1939-1945

World War II

To support the war effort, Schumacher produces textiles for parachutes, life preservers, and other wartime products under contract with the U.S. Navy and Air Force.

1947

Josef Frank

The acclaimed Viennese mid-century Designer creates the charming, botanical Citrus Garden for Schumacher. The print bears the trademark whimsy, color and personality for which the designer is known. The hand-drawn pattern has inimitable charm and is one of Schumacher's most iconic and signature patterns to date.

Josef Frank went on to further create Olive Tree, as well as, Exotic Butterfly. These two beloved designs are playful in color yet showcase a soft, modern intrigue of birds, butterflies and florals.

1947

Vera

Designer Vera Neumann, best known for her vibrantly patterned scarves worn by everyone from Grace Kelly to Marilyn Monroe, embarks on a long and fruitful collaboration with Schumacher that lasts through the 1980s. Several of her original prints, including the ever-popular Birches, are still part of the Schumacher line.

1949

Cecil Beaton

The legendary photographer and designer goes to the drafting board for Schumacher, conjuring the evocative, painterly Halloween.

1951

Lucy Loves Schumacher

The company's designs are woven into the fabric of American popular culture. The print polka dot pony makes a cameo appearance in the era-defining TV show I LOVE LUCY.

1953

Saul Steinberg

The beloved artist and New Yorker illustrator creates lyrical, fanciful patterns such as Views of Paris and Opera, which are still in production.

1955

Frank Lloyd Wright

America’s greatest architect develops a home textiles collection for Schumacher. The Taliesin line remains coveted by private collectors and museums alike.

1956

The Eisenhower Toile

Upon learning that many famous generals in history had been honoured with a commemorative toile, Mrs Eisenhower and decorator Elizabeth Draper devise a design from the buildings, trophies, and motifs that symbolise Ike’s life and career. The pattern is even fashioned into a dress for Mamie to wear during the president’s successful 1956 reelection campaign.

1958

Schiaparelli

The house collaborates with cutting-edge couturier Elsa Schiaparelli on a collection of prints that incorporate many of the designer's sought after hallmarks, including graphic florals and shocking pinks.

1962

Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy puts her elegant and indelible stamp on the White House using a Schumacher lamps to swathe the walls of the Blue Room. During her famous TV tour of 1962, Schumacher, already an American icon, is broadcast around the world.

1963

Mick Jagger

The arbiter of cool poses in his London flat against a wall in the still-popular Queen of Spain design.

1966

Met Opera House

The opening of the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center debuts Schumacher’s dazzling gold-and-bronze stage curtain inspired by Matisse’s masterful cut-paper works.

1989

Radio City Music Hall Art Deco Collection

Inspired by the famed music house, Schumacher captures the rhythms and energy of Manhattan’s bustling city life in a historical collection.

1993

The Age Of Innocence

The set design for Martin Scorsese’s film adaptation of Edith Wharton’s classic novel features Schumacher’s Edwardian Damask—fitting, considering that Wharton was one of the company’s earliest and most ardent clients. 

2014

125 Years

Since 1889, Schumacher has cultivated the highest forms of beauty. A passion for luxury and a commitment to quality are woven into everything we do. 

2019

Libertine

Schumacher collaborates with fashion icon Johnson Hartig to design a breath taking collection that would make it to the catwalks of the New York Fashion Week.

2022

Schumacher is coming home

After 133 years, Schumacher opens their doors in the UK and Europe. By launching a modern website and opening a showroom in Paris, Schumacher literally is coming home - to where it all began in 1889.

2022

Returning to Schumacher's Roots

On September 8, 2022, Schumacher opened an exquisite new space in the renowned district of St. Germain, representing a jubilant return to Paris after 133 years abroad and a grateful homage to our French heritage.