British design - Wallace Sewell

My encounter with Wallace Sewell, through their managing director, Kate Walsh, was one of those unplanned meetings which often lead to my most interesting and fulfilling personal and professional experiences.
I met Kate one October day at a British Makers event, in London. I was immediately struck by the wonderful accessories and homewares she had on display in a lovely room at the Durrant Hotel. For those who don’t know me in person, I love colour, especially in fashion, something that seems to contrast with my reserved and shy nature. Wallace Sewell’s designs use colours, together with geometric patterns, in the most inspiring, innovative, and artistic way. Their palettes are a study in perfection, transformed into scarves, cushions, and rugs.
I wasn’t sure where, but I believed it wasn’t my first time seeing some of Wallace Sewell’s creations. And I was right. Like me, all of you have actually seen their work, as they are the designers of the moquette fabric used in the London Underground and the recently opened Elizabeth Line. Even before discovering this connection, I spoke with Kate about my British craft personal project, one I started when moving to this country and then paused before the pandemic. I was excited about the possibility of including Wallace Sewell in it, and Kate welcomed the idea of a collaboration with enthusiasm.
After visiting their beautiful shop in London, we scheduled the photoshoot. Harriet Wallace-Jones and Emma Sewell, the founders of the brand, kindly made themselves available for me to take their portraits, finding time amid their buzzing schedule to pose and share more information about their brand’s history and their fascinating lives.
They started this adventure together and have worked side by side for over thirty years, beginning shortly after graduating in 1990. Their inspiration comes from various sources, from art pieces (their AW24 scarf collection, for instance, was inspired by the work of British painter Fred Ingrams), sculptures, and both urban and natural environments. Emma from London and Harriet from Dorset, where she is primarily based, develop ideas and work on new projects, assembling patterns and hues like a puzzle that, once completed, becomes a statement of beauty.
Both Emma and Harriet showed me aspects of their design process, the study behind their colour choices, and the amazing yarns that give their pieces the luxury look and feel of a handmade creation.
They proudly manufacture their products at a family-run UK textile mill in Lancashire. In accordance with their ethics, they use only natural fibres and work with yarn suppliers who maintain the same ethical standards in their supply chains. Beauty, in their work, comes with honesty and transparency.
I am deeply grateful to Harriet, Emma, and their team for welcoming me into their creative world and allowing me to capture the essence of Wallace Sewell. Their story adds a compelling chapter to my project, a vivid testimony to women’s creativity, determination, and artistic vision in British craftsmanship.