The two young British textile designers I’m writing about today were both taking part in last month’s New Designers show in the “One Year On” category. This is the part of the show where young, entrepreneurial designers in their first year of business are invited back to exhibit and sell directly, and it’s a popular destination for both the public and savvy business owners looking for the best and brightest up and coming design talent.
Apart from having this in common, I also thought that these light, summery colours and designs were just perfect for this time of the year – especially as the sunshine has well and truly arrived after such a long, grey cold spring and early summer. So now is definitely the time to add a few splashes of freshness and brightness, both inside the house and out, and these printed and woven textiles fit the bill perfectly.
Sian Elin’s current collection of printed textiles (pictured top, left and below) mixes the clean lines of Scandinavian design with the influences of Moorish architecture that she was inspired by whilst travelling in the Mediterranean.
Printed onto 100% cotton, the range includes cushions, tea towels and fabric by the metre, so there’s plenty of scope for your own creativity to come to the fore too.
I particularly like the tea towels below – they co-ordinate without being overly match-matchy and are perfect for the contemporary kitchen. (I realise this probably makes me a very sad person indeed, but still, they do it for me – anything that makes drying up more enjoyable has to be good, surely?).
You can find these home textiles at a new discovery of mine, the online contemporary design store mocha.com, which specialises in practical, beautiful homewares with “that special something” and work closely with new designers and small businesses. Alternatively, visit sianelin.com to see her whole range, including wallpaper and stationery; you’ll also find out about her bespoke services which include reworking existing designs in your choice of colours, and original designs for your home or as gifts for special occasions.
Equally fresh and summery, but with a completely different character, are these gorgeous woven textiles (pictured above and below) by Royal College of Art graduate Laura Fletcher. She spent several years freelancing in the world of fashion and colour forecasting before creating her first collection of woven textiles and hand painted cards.
Laura uses photography to capture the colours and subtle textures that inspire her designs; the bark of a tree or a piece of weathered rope found on the beach can provide the starting point for a new idea. She then mixes various combinations of cotton, silk, linen and fine wool fibres into these delicious striped and checked textiles, which are woven at a local mill in Suffolk. To create her cushions, she teams them with a contrasting plain fabric which allows the colours and patterns to really sing out without being overpowering, and gives them a very contemporary look.
Some of Laura’s textiles are available to buy by the metre, and she also takes on individual bespoke commissions. To find out more and to shop online visit laurafletchertextiles.co.uk.
Images: mocha.com, sianelin.com, laurafletchertextiles.co.uk
Comments are closed.