IT'S A (FLORAL) WRAP!
Words by Jessica Peace
YOUR DESIGNS ARE STUFFED WITH PLANTS AND ANIMALS…
Yes they are, they’re both great sources of inspiration! There is so much variety in plants it’s incredible, from looking at tropical Amazonian plants, cacti from the Mexican desert to under the sea plants - it’s endless.
I could draw them for years and always find new things to look at! And yes animals… always! I am slightly obsessed with an animal print!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR SCARF OBSESSION…
I’ve always loved scarves, particularly when they’re made of silk, they’re so chic and so practical! You can wear them in hundreds of ways, around the neck, as head scarves, as tops... You can go from wearing it tied around your neck in the morning to styling it into a fancy headscarf for an evening date.
Also I love how they’re such timeless fashion pieces, you can keep them forever. I’ve got a huge collections of them, some that have been passed to me from my grans, some I have found in very cheap second hand stores, and others that are a bit more precious from fashion designers too.
WE HEARD YOU HAD AN ALLOTMENT…
Yes, I used to be part of an allotment project where I live in Elephant and Castle called ‘Grow Elephant’, we were gardening on a building site before the construction. I wasn’t that successful at it sadly, and often found my cherry tomatoes half gone (eaten by squirrels some said)! I did manage to grow some exciting salad leaves though, like the Japanese Mizuna, delicious! The project is now in Tottenham Hale, and is a great place to hang out, you should check it out: http://www.growtottenham.org
WHAT IS NEXT?
We’re preparing to launch our new autumn/winter collection which has a few 1960’s inspired floral prints… exciting times. And then I am planning a few weeks of holidays in the south of France, I can’t wait to dive into the sea!
PLANTS IN YOUR LIFE?
A beautiful yellow hibiscus my mum bought me, a hydrangea plant an ex-boyfriend gave me, and a few succulents I took from my family home in Corsica (That’s a secret though as you’re not really allowed to bring plants across the channel...) that have settled very well here in London. I don’t have many but they’re definitely part of my London family!
PETAL, PALM OR POTATO?
Palms! So pretty, and I love the green shades!
PLANT HEROES?
Josef Frank!
He is one of my favourite designers, he has drawn hundreds of floral prints, they’re so beautiful!
FAVE FLORAL SPACE?
I love the Barbican conservatory, it’s only open on Sundays sadly, but it’s such great place with an incredible variety of plants. I try and go there as regularly as possible to draw with a friend of mine.
PLANT PILL?
Oh yes! I love natural remedies! I am a huge fan of Echinacea, it’s great to boost your immune system when you feel a bit ‘under the weather’. I love going to traditional herbalists, there’s one near where I live, the people there know so much about plants, it’s incredible! And I love trying new infusions to drink, the most recent being nettle.
FINISH THE SENTENCE: ‘PLANTS ARE…’
Plants are… soothing friends <3
@CleoFMercury