Marianne Straub 1909 - 1994

Swiss born textile designer Marianne Straub was one of the leading figures in commercial textile design in twentieth century Britain, working for a number of influential companies and teaching at the Central School of Art.

She came to England in 1932 to study industrial weaving at Bradford Technical College. She had previously studied under Hans Otto Hurlimann of the Bauhaus School; an influence on her own education. After graduating from Bradford, she worked for a year with Ethel Mairet at her hand-weaving studio, Gospels, where she experimented with hand dyeing and spinning.

After a few years as consultant weaver for Welsh Mills, Straub went to Helios where she would become the managing director in 1947. The company sold to Warner & Sons, where she continued to work until 1970.

In 1951, Straub was featured as part of the Festival Pattern Group in the Festival of Britain. She designed some of the textiles inspired by patterns round in crystallography. Her design 'Surrey' was based on the work of Helen Megaw, and was used in the Regatta Restaurant, part of the festival site. Her 'Rings' haemoglobin 8.26 design was based on crystallography by Max Perutz. Straub was also known for her moquette designs used on London's trains and buses. One of her designs featured prominently on Northern and Bakerloo line tubes and buses in the 1970s.