MARTIN WALLER
The founder of eclectic interiors brand Andrew Martin talks about his love of travelling the world, and how it inspires his global fusion aesthetic
TURNING POINTS
I was 22 when I opened the first Andrew Martin store, but I didn’t know what I wanted to sell. As it turned out, I really enjoyed sourcing unique homewares. Soon after launching, I visited the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok [the former home of the eponymous silk entrepreneur]. It opened my eyes to the way art and antiques from that part of the world could be used in a different setting. Similarly, thanks to a South African designer called Stephen Falcke, I discovered how African tribal art could be used in a contemporary way and mixed with other styles.
LONDON’S CALLING
I live in Holland Park in a house filled with tribal textiles and artefacts I’ve collected from all over the world, and lots of linen sofas and leather chairs. My home embodies the same fusion feel that people have come to expect from Andrew Martin. From where I live, I can jump on the Central line and be surrounded by all the incredible treasures at the British Museum – which I adore – in no time. The great department stores such as Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason have so much to offer too.
GREAT INFLUENCES
The famed colourists, such as Paul Gauguin, have hugely influenced my style. And I believe the greatest art form of the 20th century was film. Directors such as Carol Reed, who made The Third Man, and George Stevens, who made Shane and Giant, have created iconic films that have become fundamental to my work. Within the interiors world, I’m in awe of Ikea, with its endless stream of new products, clever storage solutions and seamless flatpack designs.
SHOP IDOLS
The theatre of retail has always fascinated me. When I was a teen in the early 1970s, there was an iconic store on Kensington High Street called Biba; it was the most astonishing, inspirational place. Many years later, I was introduced to its founder, Barbara Hulanicki. She and Harry Gordon Selfridge are my two great retail idols.
WORK LIFE
In my job, no two days are the same. I could be in Marrakech looking at rugs one day, and the next I might be flying to a meeting with the team responsible for the 17 Andrew Martin stores in China. Maintaining international relationships is a very important aspect of my job. Working on new collaborations is also crucial for broadening the horizons of the brand. Interior designer Kit Kemp is a powerhouse, so working with her was a real pleasure, but we’ve collaborated with so many other talented people along the way.
WANDERLUST
When I had chickenpox at the age of nine, my mum gave me the Reader’s Digest Book of World Travel, which had a picture of the floating market in Bangkok on the cover. I was instantly captivated, and I’ve never lost that passion. It’s important for me to keep discovering new places in order to evolve the Andrew Martin brand. In the 1980s, Indian homewares were very popular, then in the 1990s, it was all about Chinese wedding cabinets and lacquer trunks. By the millennium, there was a huge African influence, and since then it’s all gone very vintage, with lots of Americana signs and old Coca-Cola fridges. Travel has kept these styles revolving and evolving.
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