By Steven L. Brawley

May 10, 2017: For many years I have been seeking information regarding the blue and white toile used in President Kennedy’s White House bedroom. A much more feminine design than one might expect – featuring flowers and angels/cherubs. (Image below courtesy JFK Library).

The fabric has always intrigued me. According to several accounts, the toile was not originally intended for the President’s room. However, when he saw Sister Parish’s fabric swatch printed with angels, he reportedly said, “I've always loved angels.” His selection would adorn his White House bedroom’s antique four poster bed and window curtains. President Johnson would retain the same décor.

Now, the 2016 JACKIE movie has provided me with more clues about the toile.

The sets for the Jackie movie are outstanding, and the attention to detail is superb. One of the rooms beautifully recreated is the President’s bedroom.

The movie’s production designer Jean Rabasse and his team, including set decorator Véronique Melery, dug into archives of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum to learn more about Jackie’s decor and restoration through her work with American decorator Sister Parish, decorative arts expert Henry Francis du Pont, and French designer Stéphane Boudin of Maison Jansen.

An article in SETDECOR helped me on my journey. The article featured décor and set design expert William De Biasio, who I know from several Facebook groups. The article also included interviews with Rabasse and Melery.

I kindly asked De Biasio if he would reach out to Melery, who has a noted 34 year career as a set decorator and production designer, to provide me with more details on the fabric. He kindly did so.

According to Melery, the fabric is named Toile Cherubins and is currently available through Charles BURGER of Paris. It is 59 percent linen and 41 percent cotton. It is now available in gold, red, peach, and the original blue.

Thanks to the new JACKIE movie for helping solve my toile mystery. (Image below courtesy Charles BURGER of Paris).