Last year I went to the Heal's SS15 press preview, and fell in LOVE with Claire de Quénetain's new design for the Heal's 1810 Collection. Le Jardin D’ete, depicts a hand-drawn floral pattern that reflects Claire's personal passion for the outdoors.
After a lot of oohing, aahing and Instagram stalking I sent Claire an email asking whether she would pretty please answer a few questions for my readers and I, so here you go lovelies.
Who are you/What do you do?
I’m a textile designer, creating prints for furnishing fabrics. I’m currently doing a collaboration with Heal’s, for
their Spring-Summer 2015 Collection. In June I will be launching my own line of fabrics.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I grew up in Normandy, France and started my artistic practice in Fine Arts at the ECAL in Lausanne, Switzerland.
During my studies I developed a passion for gardens and houses. I was interested in creating a personal
expression of marks and forms through paintings, drawings, collages and installations. I recently graduated with
an MA in Printed Textiles from the Royal College of Art in London.
Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your work?
The main inspiration behind my work is to catch the atmosphere of gardens; the generosity, the forms, the
colours and movement in nature. My textiles aim to create a natural, lively and colourful environment for the
interiors. I like gardens because they are a kind of “mise-en-scène” of the natural life.
What is your preferred medium and why?
I enjoy painting straight onto fabric or paper without composing the design in advance. I like to paint compositions
in large scale with spontaneity to catch a certain energy and new marks. I really enjoy to work this way
because I feel free to reinterpret nature as I see it.
What do you do when you're not creating / do you have any other hobbies?
A big interest of mine is discovering new gardens, cities, and villages in England. I regularly visit museums and I
quite often go back to Normandy to get inspiration.
Where can we find you? (your work and social media)
Instagram: clairedequenetain
Twitter: @clairedequenet
Share some of your favourite images/pieces and tell us a little about them.
I’ve always been very interested in the Omega workshops and Sonia Delaunay. These images show the relations
they created between Art and Textiles. I’m fascinated by the prints applied onto panels, screens, carpets, wallpapers
and clothes. These “mise-en-scènes” make the interiors theatrical. It’s the same I envisage through my own
work; to bring a natural atmosphere into people’s homes, with a theatrical touch. People become the character of
their own garden story.
Omega Workshops
Sonia Delaunay
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