TELL US ABOUT YOUR HOME TOWN

I was born in the county of Hertfordshire, one hour north London, in a little village called Tonwell.

HOW DID YOU BECOME TO BE A DESIGNER?

Growing up in a house in the 80s meant being surrounded by contrasting patterns, from floral carpets to geometric curtains, and stripey sofas.  This led to my continuous fascination with fabrics and their patterns.  My Dad, who has a passion for drawing and painting, was a huge influence on my creative learning process.  Teaching me from a young age about composition, colour, perspectives etc.  This led to Art and Textile Design being an ever present subject within my studies and in 2008 I graduated from University College Falmouth with a BA (Hons) in Textile Design.  Upon completion of my degree, I was offered a full time position with Tom Cody, New York where I spent 2 years working as both their studio manager and a designer.  It was a great experience and I learnt a huge amount about how a professional studio runs.  Returning to the UK in 2010 I then worked freelance for companies such as Studio G and Beyond Creative.  I have sold designs to companies including Abercrombie and Fitch, Calvin Klein, Topshop and Accessorize.

WHY DO YOU LIKE DESIGNING?

I love designing for many reasons but one of the most rewarding factors is seeing one of your patterns printed on a high street garment that people buy and wear.  My passion for patterns is ever present and I am extremely excited to be a part of this project and to learn about the processes and methods used in Ugandan Textiles.