BEATRICE LARKIN
This London-based textile designer works closely with Lancashire mills to create strikingly patterned weaves in the finest merino lambswool. We find out more
Can you tell us a bit about your background? I grew up surrounded by fabrics. My father has an interior design business in Canterbury and my mother is a freelance textile designer. Studying woven textiles at the Royal College of Art allowed me to find my own direction and aesthetic. After finishing my MA in 2013, I joined the Crafts Council’s Hothouse programme for emerging makers and began to build my business from there.
How would you describe your style? There is a definite mid-century look to my fabrics but there are also softened, organic elements, creating a liveable and contemporary feel. I consider every part of the process, from yarn to structure, design and colour. For my most recent collection I have used a pared-down monochrome palette to complement the bold, graphic motifs. Achieving depth and balance is key.
What influences your designs? When I’m in need of inspiration, I like to wander around the Barbican soaking up some brutalism. Alongside these harsher lines, I love geometrics with a human touch, such as the hand-painted buildings of Tiébélé in West Africa. Another constant inspiration is the tradition of weaving. There is a bible of structures to refer to and manipulate, which I will never tire of.
How did your collaboration with Heal’s
come about? A buyer at Heal’s saw my fabrics online and got in touch. It was a dream come true when I saw my throws and cushions in the window of the Tottenham Court Road store and on the cover of its catalogue. Its ethos of “good design, well made” resonates with me.
Can you talk us through the process of creating
your wool throws? I start a new collection by drawing and mark making, then refine and develop these into a series of designs. I work closely with my mill in Lancashire to sample fabrics, working on repeat, scale and different weave structures. once the fabric is woven, it is sent for washing and finishing in Yorkshire and then on to London to be hemmed, labelled and packaged.
What are you working on next? I’m designing a collection for spring/summer 2018. I’ve been working in monochrome for a while now, so it will be refreshing to use colour again. I’m also hoping to spend some time developing my designs into rugs, so I need to source a manufacturer for this.