Interview with Creative Director, Danielle | Winter 20 Collection
The Design Process
L&M Home's creative director, Danielle Bowers, talks about how our Winter 20 Collection came together..
What was the inspiration behind the 2020 Collection?
This season I was heavily inspired by ancient architecture, the shapes, forms and romantic beauty. The style of still life paintings or art forms also influenced the collection; the simplicity of objects and the importance of empty space.
We are always inspired by nature, particularly the textures, raw elements, and the subtle hues to bold jewel tones.
What mood do you picture these pieces bringing to a space?
I believe this collection creates a sense of quiet drama. There is a sense of general calm driven by the soft tone-on-tone styles. This contrasts with strong forms and shapes where we see the dramatic romance and sense of sophisticated luxury.
Can you talk a bit about the new bed linen ranges?
We spent a lot of time reflecting on our classic collections and what our customers love about them. The Casa collection, which is a play on the classic Grosgrain bedlinen, is a simple soft grey Egyptian cotton with a sophisticated white trim and is of a high quality and absolutely glorious to sleep in.
We also extended our much-loved Mondo pure French linen collection with three stunning hues; Tobacco, Rosa and Storm Stripe. These have been designed to mix and match with our classic Mondo colours creating a burst of earthy, dramatic tones in the bedroom.
How did you put together the colour scheme of this collection?
Trends come and go, and it is our job to pinpoint when or how to reflect these. We start with mood boards so that we stay on theme, ensuring a cohesive collection throughout the design process.
This season I fell in love with tone-on-tone palettes and could not escape the beauty of chalky white and natural tones. We always like to think of every new collection as a ‘building block’ of our classic collection so colours will also be influenced by this, making sure we reflect and grow on what works well.
Block printed table linen is an L&M Home classic. What was the starting point behind the new block print design this season?
I am lucky to have experienced the amazing work that our artisans do to create this amazing product in Jaipur. This has given me a sense of respect and appreciation for this product, so it is important to take time when developing this design with the help of our artisans. The starting point of a great design is having an amazing motif to work with, from there patterns organically grow.
How did you decide on the location(s)/styling for the photoshoot and how do they link to the products?
Since the beginning of this collection I knew that The Establishment Studios would set the mood instantly, it just celebrated the style that we have been so strongly influenced by throughout.
However as well as styling these products with a strong sense of architecture, we also felt we needed to show our customers the collection in a home context. We know that most people don’t have a home full of plinths and archways, so we also celebrated our range within the home. L&M Home values everyday living!
How does this collection build upon and work with L&M Home’s core range?
The Etro velvet is a great cushion to add that pop of solid colour, they work back so well with our patterned/ textured cushions and are so luxurious and soft making them a perfect choice for your sofa or bedroom.
In the cooler months we like to add options and layers for the bedroom. The Rome velvet quilts, pillowcases and cushions were designed to coordinate with our classic bedlinen. This product adds a sense of luxury to your bedroom.
Our Mona vases and planters have been so popular, and we understand why, so we have added some amazing shapes and forms celebrating curves.
The classic ranges that we have extended this season by adding new colour options are Aspen, Hepburn, Copenhagen just to name a few.
What are your favourite pieces or ones you are most proud of?
For me the chainstitch cushions Nightwatch and Archway are both something am proud of. For some time I have been itching to re-introduce the use of chainstitch to our collection as it is such an amazing quality handmade product, embodying exceptional beauty and detail. Collaborating with our designer (who happens to be my brother) to create these cushions was fun and something I can be proud of.
My absolute favourite pieces from this collection are the Olympian range of handmade ceramics. Their simple forms, shapes and raw textures celebrate this collection overall. Designing these vessels created an overall excitement for this season and set the tone. I know I will have to hurry to get my hands on these beauties.
