7LUKE EDWARD HALL
The artist and designer on bringing his theatrical look to a new lifestyle brand
To say multidisciplinary designer Luke Edward Hall keeps busy is an understatement. As well as working on interior design projects, he also exhibits his artwork with an Athens-based gallery and regularly collaborates with ceramic, porcelain and fabrics companies. Now he has turned his distinct whimsical and colourful style to Chateau Orlando, his new clothing and lifestyle brand. We caught up with him to discover more…
What was the inspiration behind your first clothing collection, Postcards from the Castle?
I love knitwear and have a big collection of vintage pieces so we have kicked off with a knitwear collection for spring. My vintage pieces inspired our boxy shapes and oversized collars. The collection was inspired by an imaginary trip to a medieval castle and its garden, as well as my own garden at home in Gloucestershire. Colour is the key thread that runs through all of my work, and pattern is important, too; our spring collection features lots of bold geometrics.
How do you envisage people wearing these pieces?
I can imagine people wearing them to a garden party, to a picnic, but also to a city museum. I’m really excited about seeing how people choose to style them. I like to throw a vest over a shirt or T-shirt, and they’re not too heavy, meaning they work well layered under a jacket.
Tell us more about the homeware pieces yet to drop.
We are planning on releasing more homeware as part of our autumn/ winter collection. Think cushions and blankets. For spring we produced a couple of trays and a limited-edition poster, designed by me in celebration of our launch in Paris.
How do you generally like to work?
My studio is in the countryside, on a farm not far from my home. I need to be surrounded by my collected bits and pieces: books, flowers from my garden, postcards, letters, old pottery. I see my work as a form of storytelling, and to help create my stories, I take inspiration from things I have gathered over time.
Any new collaborations in the pipeline?
I am working with Rubelli on a range of fabrics, and I’ll be launching a new collection with Ginori soon, too. As for Chateau Orlando, watch this space!