Fashionista Meets Interiorista - Matthew Williamson and The Peacock

When trends lead the catwalk, they not only influence the way that we dress but they also affect the way that we style our homes. Albeit if we see tropical prints parading through fashion week one season, we may not see this trend take over the interiors world until the following year.

As both worlds continue to cross over, many fashion designers branch out and delve into fabrics for the home. In particular, world-renowned Matthew Williamson, who made his fashion debut in 1997, chose to expand his career with a collection of fabrics and wallpapers for Osborne & Little in 2013.

“For me it was incredibly interesting to explore prints and textures which are so much a part of my brand DNA and translate them into interiors.”

Matthew is internationally acclaimed for his flamboyant use of colour, pattern and embellishment within his glamorous, ‘bohemian-esque’ collections; taking inspiration from art and travel, his interior collections reflect his catwalk designs.

Matthew first embraced the catwalk with Kate Moss, Diane Kruger, Helena Christensen and Jade Jagger flaunting his vibrant collection, ‘Electric Angels’. He designed this collection in the attempt to inject some colour and femininity into the lifeless, colourless fashion of the late nineties – a shock to the tartan flannel and stone wash denim which was so on trend!

The rich colours in this collection perfectly translate with the colours of my cashmere collection. With this, Matthew wanted to brighten our wardrobes and share his passion for vibrant colour and pattern – a passion which he shares with me.

Matthew is famous for his use of the peacock within his designs; the peacock feather has become his signature print, quite like myself who and my signature Lace Cap Hydrangea & Peacock and Blossom designs, the latter of which can be found in her launch collection in many guises, including her ‘Peacock and Blossom’ Limoges porcelain; this is beautifully hand-painted for me by Marie Daâge in France.

Matthew’s signature peacock print consists of a monochromic outline filled with the vibrant, bold colour which Matthew is so well-known for.  It made a wide appearance in his Spring/Summer 2004 catwalk show; from the beautiful, boho-glamour, floor-length skirt to the relaxed, graceful, chiffon dress – the peacock print was a focus of this collection. 

Similarly, my crystal collaboration with Champagne Laurent Perrier features an outline of her beautiful peacock design; this is delicately engraved into the Peacock Crystal Champagne Flutes and famous Magnum Cooler by the talented artisans at Artel in Prague.

My Peacock rug is a spectacular statement piece and a true magic carpet! Handwoven by carpet manufacturer, Tai Ping, composed of 50% pure New Zealand wool, 45% delicate silk and 5% lurex, it is a sumptuous, luxurious, wow-worthy rug to add a layer of beauty to your floor!

When Matthew began designing for the interior industry it allowed him to transfer the prints and patterns which he used to dress the chicest of women to walls and furnishings to create sophisticated spaces for the home.

Like with all of his designs, for ‘Eden’, his debut collection with Osborne & Little, Matthew looked to his archive for inspiration and much to our delight chose to revisit his signature peacock feather design!

Known for his use of embellishment, he reinvented the design adorning the feathers with tiny beads which adds a textured shimmer effect. The peacock wallpaper is perfect for an opulent statement in the home and would create a striking scheme teamed with my ‘Peacock Garden’ paint from the ‘Jewel Collection’ in collaboration with Little Greene.

No doubt (and fingers crossed) we will continue to see Matthew rekindle his relationship with the peacock in fashion and interiors just like me, who shares my love for this beautiful creature through product designs.