Behind The Design - Holly and Ivy Christmas Collection

The nostalgic inspiration behind my first Christmas textiles collection

If there’s one thing I’ve taken away from my own experience of Christmas, it is nostalgia plays a considerable role in the magic of the day. In my family, the nostalgia runs through the heirloom decorations that are brought out year after year.

The longevity of these items is something I always think about (my parents Christmas tree is over 30 years old!) and is a factor I always consider when designing my homeware. So, my first ‘Christmas’ range had to follow the same principles: be festive, functional and timeless. 

To create this however, I needed to find out what designs and products ticked these boxes. I began by researching what I believed to be timeless Christmas decor, with a focus on vintage ceramics by iconic British brands Portmeirion and Emma Bridgewater. I discovered a pattern - what turned out to be most popular (in terms of years it was available) and what I thought to be most timeless, were designs of winter foliage. But which foliage do I choose for my own range?

I really wanted this range to be meaningful, knowing the impact of Christmas and the positive role of nostalgic decor.  The aim was to create a textile product that was traditional, a piece that can be passed down for generations to become nostalgic.  I decided to collaborate with those that know what they want best, my audience!  I took to Instagram and held a poll with the different options of foliage I thought would fit.  Holly and ivy was a clear winner - to me this made sense, as the colour schemes of red and green are synonymous with Christmas!

I gathered some beautiful imagery of the foliage from a trip to Botanical Gardens at Victoria Park in Bath as well as older imagery from hedgerows in my village and started painting motifs. The hand painted design came together seamlessly! 

The decision to create table runners and tea towels in this botanical Christmas design was rooted by nostalgia. As my textiles are printed with reactive inks they are resistant to fading, allowing them to be used again and again, for Christmases to come. An heirloom in the making, the textiles are also made from durable 100% cotton panama in the UK which will last throughout many Christmas dinners. 

You can shop my Holly and Ivy Table Runner and Holly and Ivy Tea Towel now for your next festive meal, this Christmas and beyond (Christmas pudding not included)! 

Best wishes for the festive season!