Final year project
'Serendipity in Love' - The art of loving yourself [Read more]
A basket of home comforts
Within this basket is a range of blanket designs, only one of them is hand woven, due to the current circumstances I was unable to finish weaving my warp at university. However I recreated my woven designs digitally, printing them onto organic fabric.
All of these blankets are made from sustainable materials and designed to be plant dyed and infused with natural oils.
Hand woven blanket in the making
This hand woven sample is designed to have a beautiful drape and feel to the fabric. Woven with all natural fibres including bamboo, organic cotton and British wool and naturally dyed with Tea and Beetroot.
Infused with lavender to compliment the subtle colours tones of the naturally dyed yarns.
Miniature comforts
Part of my home essentials collection includes miniature hot water covers, using my digital woven fabric I have created a range of handmade covers. Ranging from doubled lined to quilted. I really loved creating these covers, from pattern cutting to sewing them and adding the finishing touches including little handmade labels. It was a lovely way to showcase some prototypes for my fabrics.
Dried petals, milk and honey
A small snippet into my photography for my final collection.
I created a range of all natural bath milks, filled with dried roses, blue cornflowers, lavender and peonies all which have known health and relaxation properties. Combing the petals with milk and sugar to create beautiful little concoctions of colour to help inform my samples.
Digitally woven blanket design
A close up photograph of one of my digitally designed blankets, featuring a decorative pattern. Designed to be woven with lambswool, pure shetlands wool and bamboo for a snuggly and soft texture.
Naturally dyed with tea and dried hibiscus.
Infused with lavender to compliment the subtle tones of pinks.
Natural forms drawing
My visual research explored the natural forms of nature as well as natural textures.
I created a selection of digital sketches depicting natural forms, a selection of water colour paintings that related to my dried bouquet photography. Alongside this I created some abstract collages using dried petals and recycled paper, I then used these and began layering my line drawings over the top to create interesting visual explorations.
Jacquard blanket design
This is my rose jacquard designed blanket folded with a few of my other blanket designs. These designs draw upon a more subtle side of my colour palette and offer a really nice variety.
Interior illustraions
Digital interior sketches exploring spaces where my designs could go, playing around with placement and scale.
Lauren Elizabeth Smith
I draw great influence from the importance of our mental well-being, mixed with natures goodness. Creating a collection that promotes self-love and nurture.
This woven home essentials collection is designed to create a calming and positive aurora in your home. Helping to promote a moment for slowing down, taking some time for relaxation and the art of self-love in this very busy, fast moving world.
I have always used nature as my main source of inspiration throughout my projects, through writing my dissertation I have discovered the deep-rooted connection we share with nature, which stems from our childhood memories. This is an element I hold particularly close, to promote a positive well-being throughout my designs.
Colour is one of my favourite elements of being a woven textiles designer, the endless experimentation and freedom I have to create beautiful colour combinations. This is an area of design I have always been inspired by and how I can utilise the colour theory within my design process.
My skills lie within the very beginning of a projects journey, creating an idea and photographing visual research is something I’ve grown to love massively. I create scenes for my photography, adding a personal feel to my projects.
My journey studying my textiles degree at Loughborough has opened my horizons into where I want to go next, I have been lucky enough to be in the process of renovating a loom at home where I intend to keep weaving. I want to expand more as a designer and experience a range of career options within industry. An area I have always been passionate about is interior styling, styling my designs for photography purposes is something I love doing and I want to expand further on this. As well as the opportunity to work as a designer within a team, working towards achieving a collection.
Dissertation
How does colour influence us and how can we connect this through interior design?
Final year project
'Serendipity in Love' - The art of loving yourself
Awards
Milliken Europe
During my second year at Loughborough University I entered a live competition with Milliken Europe, creating a selection of three carpet tiles. I came second place winning a prize of £700 and the opportunity to have my tiles manufactured along with a summer placement.
We were later invited down to the Milliken showroom in London with the wonderful opportunity to see our tiles on display and have an insight into the design teams process. I later received a collection of my tiles that I can add into my industry portfolio.
'18 Première Vision Paris - Digital pieces exhibited
'19 Première Vision Paris - Woven pieces exhibited
'20 Première Vision Paris - Jacquard pieces exhibited