Drapes specialists J&C Joel supplied 5.5 miles of special cotton muslin decorative panels and borders for Crufts 2006, the largest dog show in the world with more than 130,000 attendees and 24,000 canines. The show took place March 9-12 at Halls 1-5 of the NEC, Birmingham and was televised. J&C Joel’s dressing improved the look of the exhibition for TV camera and wide angled shots.
J&C Joel dyed the muslin fabric creamy ecru and moss green. The fabric was used to aesthetically enhance the cavernous roof spaces throughout all halls. For variation, the fabric in some of the arenas featured scalloped edges, including the void areas above the Winner’s Enclosure.
The project was coordinated for J&C Joel by Josie Royle, who worked closely with her colleagues in the manufacturing department of their headquarters at Sowerby Bridge, in Yorkshire.
J&C Joel’s biggest challenge was completing the project in the timeframe given, as the exact requirements were confirmed just three weeks before the show opened. “The pressure was on” says Royle, “everyone worked round the clock to ensure the client’s deadlines were met.”
As each fabric bail arrived on large wooden pallets at the headquarters, they were cut and sewn into 300m long x 3m deep sections. Each alternate section was manufactured with scalloped edges along the entire width by 10 of J&C Joel’s machinists.
Working alongside Rob O’Donnell from the NEC’s technical department, two J&C Joel personnel rigged the material in all five halls within the NEC’s tight installation window. This was a fine achievement, considering the sheer amount of fabric.
This is the fifth time that J&C Joel has completed this contract for Crufts; the drapes are now an essential visual element of the “The Greatest Dog Show on Earth.”
For More Information:
www.jcjoel.co.uk
www.crufts.org.uk