Living with things you love and that last are important to Wendy. So, when she was invited onto The Tapestry Podcast to discuss the relationship between personal style, design and storytelling, the conversation was always going to be enlightening.
Hosted by Canadian stylist Inna Korobkina, the podcast delves into a world of creativity and beauty, sharing experts’ views on their own journey. Wendy, who began her career in fashion before a change in direction to rug design, shares her insights on how her personal style began, thoughts on Feng Shui, as well as the craftsmanship of rug making, the connection between fashion and interiors, and the value of vintage fashion for inspiration.
You can listen to the podcast here, but we also thought it would be interesting to delve a little deeper into Wendy’s approach to personal style. A designer who finds joy in fashion and interiors every day, Wendy is on a mission to encourage others to do the same.
Where it all began
‘I’m inspired by Far Eastern mythology and nature, and I’ve always had a deep interest in Eastern philosophies and the way they are connected with nature,’ Wendy explains. ‘From a young age, I was interested in Feng shui; I could sense the energy in a room and it always made perfect sense to me. The elements those philosophies work with - animals, plants, nature, trees, and birds - all inspire me and make their way into my designs. Hand-tufted rug Good Fortune is a great example of this, with lots of powerful elements from Chinese symbolism to create a positive energy.
Energy and flow are important to me; the way something feels when you wear it, and the mood in a room. I like a sense of comfort in both. With interiors, plants, either flowers or green foliage, are a wonderful way to bring nature in and improve the energy of a space. Our new Kaleidoscope of Papillons hand-tufted rugs are also a perfect accessory, smaller than our regular rugs, they are the ideal size for bringing life and energy to a drab corner – adding a little bit of joy to any space.
Wear what makes you feel good
When it comes to deciding what to wear every day, it really does depend on how I feel. It will also be determined by what I am doing that day, who I may be meeting and, of course, the weather. Scotland often requires that extra layer. I would say my personal style is always feminine though. I wear leisurewear for going running, but I don’t want to be seen in public in it!
In the podcast, we discuss wearing colour or black. I wear a lot of colour, but I often rely on black, because it is so easy to wear. It’s a classic neutral you can dress up or down with shoes or trainers, and jewellery. At home, I have black painted woodwork, which can be dressed up with colour and pattern in much the same way.
I grew up in the country and spent lots of time running about in wellies, but I was interested in clothes from an early age. I spent a lot of time raiding my granny’s wardrobe – she was quite glamorous and had lovely clothes – so I used to rummage around, take the things I liked, cut them up and make them into my own!
Shop Wendy's Favourite Designs
The vintage connection
I still love vintage fashion. Classic 1950s and 1960s pieces, geometric or floral patterns, things that are always a good shape, and make me feel good wearing them, are what I get really excited about. I also love finding vintage treasures for our home, so there is clearly a bit of a theme.
Fashion is often an inspiration for my rug designs. In the podcast, we discuss how much I love visiting museums to see fashion and textile exhibitions, which are a great source of inspiration. Our rainbow-coloured hand-knotted rug Arc en Ciel was inspired by a Japanese Kimono, for example.
I think personal style evolves over time; it comes with age, experience and confidence. I appreciate fine fabrics and textiles, and beautiful crafts – both at home and to wear. Perhaps the exposure to beautiful pieces through my work has also helped define my personal style. I really value clothes that fit properly; something that is well made will always make you feel good.
Stepping stones to glamorous footwear
Throughout my teenage years, chunky boots were my favourite footwear. I remember breaking in a pair of DMs by walking through a field of long wet grass, just to soften them and make them look less new. My interest in shoes has grown with my love of rugs - a beautiful shoe is the perfect rug accessory! Designer Chie Mihara, who is based in Spain, makes the most beautiful shoes – always perfect for a new rug reveal on Instagram.
Our collaboration with luxury shoe brand Terry de Havilland last year is another great example of fashion and interiors merging. The final boot design took inspiration from our Talisman rug, with her beautiful, inspirational Chinese dragon motifs. There is so much crossover between fashion and interiors - fabric, shape, colour, patterns, embroidery, and technique.
With interiors, joy comes from the feeling each space has, which is determined by a number of attributes, including, light, colour, pattern, scent, furniture choices, old or new, and the fabric and textiles used. For fashion, it is determined by fabric, colour, fit and shape.
Personal style evolves, but surrounding yourself with things you love will always make you feel good.
