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In the 1930s, in order to diversify their offerings, a number of European textile firms purchased patterns from freelance designers. Many of these artists were women, as men usually occupied full-time staff roles. Eileen Hunter worked in a freelance capacity, and this bold and dramatic large-scale pattern, produced in a limited run, would have offered something new and exclusive for consumers. This velvet provides one example of the novel ways manufacturers employed to entice those seeking luxury.