STYLE MAKER Meet Naomi Paul, whose exquisite crocheted pendant lights are beautiful works of art
Naomi Paul’s exquisite crocheted pendant lights are works of art that bring calm and beauty into a room
There have been several ‘lampshade’ moments in Naomi Paul’s creative life. But the one that set her on the path to becoming a globally sought-after maker of wondrously sculptural lighting happened when, in order to keep her job at the Royal College of Art, she said she could crochet… and then had to ask her mother to teach her virtually overnight.
‘My mother is a maker and creator who can turn her hand to anything practical. When I was living away from home as a student, she taught me to knit over the phone while I was sat practising with a pair of chopsticks!’ says Naomi.
But it was her mother’s crash-course in crochet that allowed constructive-textile-trained Naomi to hold on to her position at the Royal College of Art. This lead to her working with a master in fashion and crocheting a ballgown. ‘After that, I was commissioned to crochet a piece based on a Moroccan cascading pendant form. I drew some simple silhouettes and then, working as a potter might on a wheel, sculpted as I went. The nature of crochet is very organic in the way the stitches grow. I made a small collection of lampshades based on the same technique and the design was picked up by Liberty London.’
Breathtaking in its fluid form, Naomi’s light-as-air, uniformly-stitched crocheted lighting is prized by hotels
‘The nature of crochet is very organic in the way the stitches grow'
and stylish homeowners around the world. Once the only maker, she now works with her small team of highly skilled crafters in a studio at the edge of a nature reserve near London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
‘It is very quiet and calm in the studio, and the light is lovely – it’s an old industrial bakery with a huge skylight. Most of the time the makers listen to podcasts that have the sort of rhythm and subject matter perfect for crocheting and creating the right tension. When the team worked, just briefly, at home, I found I could tell when they had been watching or listening to something intense as it would come out in the stitches!’ Naomi laughs.
In the main, her palette is restrained, mineral and soothing: ‘We have statement colours for accent lighting, but neutrals for bedside or reading-room lights, which we make in calmer tones,’ says Naomi.
‘The palette has evolved, too,’ she says. ‘I started by using surplus yarn and a lot of it came from Missoni, so there were quite strong colours. In time however, I progressed to virgin yarn and I was able to choose the palette I wanted – colours I like to live with that feel warm, inviting and lasting. I try not to look at trends.’
As a result, Naomi’s work is wonderfully timeless, and more than just a little switched on.