Working with arrangements of colour, pattern and shape, Gemma Kay Waggett creates hand-sewn, machine embroidered and screen-printed textiles. Gemma has designed a collection of luxury cushions for our Limited Edition series available in store and online.
What is the inspiration behind the cushion designs?
The patterns on these cushions are derived from a 1986 (the year Gemma was born) educational stamp set of Geometric shapes that I got given for Christmas last year and has proved to be a fantastic tool for exploring pattern.
For my Royal College of Art graduate collection ‘Beyond Woven’ the stamps were the starting point for every design… I tessellated and merged the individual block shapes to create mock woven visuals that were later translated into digital embroidery and print.
Tell us about your design process
Whatever the weather I spend my days collecting visual inspiration – colours, surfaces and objects.
When I am starting a new project I usually go out and about for a day or two to gather ideas and then hibernate in the studio to process via drawing, painting and collage.
I spend a lot of time looking at and collecting different materials to use as bases for my screen-printed or embroidered outcomes, cotton is my favourite fabric and so I always try to find as many different varieties of this as possible.
The base fabric for the Over and Expand cushion I have used one of my favourite fabrics which is a double sided denim – I have bought an extra 5 metres of it for ‘the cupboard’.
How did you get involved with the Limited Edition series at Heal’s?
Caroline Dulko (Buyer at Heal’s) and I actually did our BA HONS together in Textile Design at Central Saint Martins from 2006-2009 – I came into Heal’s HQ to show her my work after I graduated from the RCA and she told me about the series and it all went from there.
Tell us about the first textile you designed
I have been sewing since I was a child but at my secondary school in Design and Technology – Textiles I first learnt how to use a sewing machine and about different types of fabric and textile techniques…. for my very first project at the school I made a bright purple flower shaped cushion with appliqued felt cut out people on it – I think it took me a whole term to make!
Do you have a design hero that influences your work?
Arguably an artist rather than a designer I absolutely love the work of Gary Hume. I am captivated by the way that he uses textures, colours and shape and hope that one day I will look at a piece of his work on the wall of my house.
Do you have any studio superstitions / design quirks?
Not especially but I never turn the light box off (for exposing screens) until I’ve checked the screen I’ve just exposed is okay – just incase!
What 3 words would you use to describe your Limited edition collection for Heal’s?
I think that this collection is
NAVY / GRAPHIC / FUN
Gemma Kay Waggett’s cushions are available as a limited edition of 25, online and in store.