The Interiors Brand To Know: Cloth & Clover
First off, where does your passion for interiors come from?
It was my grandmother who instilled in me a deep love of historic houses, antiques and textiles. She was an inveterate collector and antique dealer, so from an early age I was surrounded by a treasure trove of her finds – many of which are now a permanent fixture in my home and continue to inspire me to this day.
What was your background before launching the company?
My experience as a designer for Laura Ashley, and then a creative director advising on brand strategy and product development, really developed the skills required to establish my own brand. Having launched Cloth & Clover in 2013, I’m now involved with the many processes that go into creating the collection – but that’s the point of Cloth & Clover, it’s about the joy of the unrushed creative process and harnessing traditional craftsmanship to make products of the utmost quality.
What was the gap in the market?
There’s definitely a renaissance when it comes to layering prints and using pattern in modern schemes – specifically matching fabrics and wallpapers in a room, which is a look the French have mastered and many designers are now emulating, along with more complex window treatments, trims and scalloped edges. By editing and reissuing traditional patterns and re-colouring them in a fresh palette, they’ve been introduced to a new audience, as well as antique textile lovers.
How do you develop your designs?
Cloth & Clover’s designs are based on historic documents from my own archive which have been collected over many years. One of my favourite pastimes is hunting for the best pieces, and the joy of discovering new treasures. The documents are reworked and carefully edited in order to retain the unique character of the original design – it’s the handcrafted motifs and irregularities which make them so alluring. Once the artwork is complete, my favourite stage of the process begins – the colouration. By using my own colour palette, the designs really come to life again.
How does your choice of linen effect your product?
Woven in one of Scotland’s last working mills, the traditional looms we use produce beautiful linens that echo the texture and weave of antique linen. The warm cream base colour is sympathetic to our palette and because it’s a natural product, the weave as well as the colour will vary slightly from batch to batch – which adds to the character and appeal of the fabric.
Which patterns or motifs are your bestsellers?
Floral pattern Cleeve is having a serious moment right now, as are Abberley, Ullington and Caldecote. The Littletons is a simple, but really useful print, as it sits well with so many classic designs and can be printed in bespoke colours, too.
Finally, what are your plans for the future?
Currently, we’re working on two new fabric and wallpaper designs which will launch early next year, and I'm also collaborating on a small collection of decorative accessories – mainly print-based but also antiques and decorative pieces. Plus, we recently launched the collection in the US, which is really exciting.
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INSPIRATION CREDITS: Cloth And Clover
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