As London Craft Week ends, we caught up with our Haines Curates designers and asked them all the questions budding entrepreneurs want to know. From starting your own business and finding creative inspiration, to being bold and taking the first step, let's learn more about two of our newest designers, Sophie Harpley and Clovelly Cloth >
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1. Tell us some more about your brand - where did it all begin?
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Sophie Harpley - My brand is an extension of me as an artist and we've both evolved a lot! I graduated a decade ago with an MA in Graphic Arts and for a long time, I worked as an illustrator and graphic designer. Before any of that though, the thing that had a profound influence on me was a job at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was there that I realised how fascinated I was by pattern design and it motivated me to study for my MA.
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Sophie at her home studio
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Clovelly Cloth - My move into the world of interiors started at the eponymous Soane Britain and working for Lulu Lytle which was so inspiring! Working at Soane only amplified my ever-growing love of fabric and wallpaper and my decision to create something myself.
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Elvira - Founder of Clovelly Cloth
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2. What's your favorite (and least favourite!) thing about running a small business? Do you have any advice for someone wanting to start their own?
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Clovelly Cloth - My favourite part of the business is interacting with my clients and witnessing my products come to life. My least favourite part is social media. Despite its undeniable importance in growing a small business, it can often feel relentless and a bit perfunctory. My advice for starting your own business is not to wait! I wish I had started sooner and only fear of not succeeding stopped me. Reach out to your peers, seek advice, and gain as much insight as you can. We are so lucky that this industry is incredibly supportive and collaborative so don’t be afraid to ask!
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Sophie Harpley - The design process is my favourite thing! I'm a complete magpie and I love gathering inspiration for my designs. My least favourite parts of the business that I've had to work harder to master, are everything numerical! Tax returns, spreadsheets, etc. My advice to anyone else wanting to start a business would be to draw from both of those points do something you really love and don't ignore the numbers!
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3. As a designer, do you have a particular way of getting yourself into a creative headspace when you need to design?
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Sophie Harpley - Walks in nature, art galleries, tea, and cake all pave the way to a peaceful time painting new designs. I think designing is quite a mindful process and activities like pilates and yoga are great for getting calm and centered too.
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Sophie's products at home
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Clovelly Cloth - I love to visit museums and go to antique markets for inspiration. I also love exploring historical houses! Drawing and painting has always been a source of relaxation so I try to keep my space as quiet and calm as possible when I start to consider new ideas.
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4. What are your design inspirations?
Clovelly Cloth - Victorian botanicals and Arts and Crafts prints from the likes of William Morris have been a huge source of inspiration. I think being in nature and surrounded by flowers brings so much calm and joy and I wanted to encapsulate that in my products
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Clovelly Cloth fabrics
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Sophie Harpley - I'm really inspired by the story of modernist art and decorative design in Europe, the blurring lines between art and craft. I love William Morris textiles too, but as a painter, post-impressionists are a big influence for me too.
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5. How do your principles surrounding ethical design and production impact your design choices?
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Sophie Harpley - Not many people know but I first produced fabrics in 2012 and from that moment on I've been dedicated to being a 'made in Britain' brand. To me it's always felt like the obvious first step in creating a more sustainable world; just making things as locally to yourself as you can. The carbon footprint of trade around the world is our biggest issue. We can't go back in time but by working closely with those around us we also improve the quality of what we make and give back to our immediate surroundings.
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Sophie Harpley fabric in the studio
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Clovelly Cloth - I wanted to create products that would stand the test of time and wouldn’t need to be replaced as trends changed. I produce everything here in England for two reasons: the first was to reduce our carbon footprint as much as we could, and the second was to support these incredibly talented local printers and weavers.
