09/05/2023

Springs Creative Acquisition Builds Largest Design Archive in the Industry (9/5/23)

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. This momentous event strengthens the prominence of Springs Creative and its partnership with Baxter Mill Archive Design Center as the 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 an impressive 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, the 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. 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 1990’s after careers in architecture/interior design, travel and culinary arts said 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.” “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 said, 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 captivating "The Thread" complex, situated in the heart of Rock Hill, SC. “We envision this new location as an 'inspiration destination,' where designers can access abundant resources, nurturing their creative ideas and envisioning limitless possibilities,” said 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.”