The Bloomsbury Set, Charleston House and English Folklore - designer Beki Bright talks us through her biggest inspirations and her journey as a designer, from working in the costume department at the National Theatre to running her own design and textile business.
At LAMP LDN we make it our mission to work with independent makers, artists and designers, and these creators become the fabric of our LAMP LDN community. We like to think of them as the Light in the LAMP, and this series gives us a few minutes to get to know them a little better. So, grab a glass of something cold and pull up a chair, as we chat to one of our makers - Beki Bright.
Beki grew up in rural Suffolk and now works as a textile designer, screen printer and dyer at her London studio. Her utterly unique designs are a celebration of country life and its sweeping landscapes, rolling hills, corn dollies and harvest celebrations. We think you’ll agree that all of Beki’s designs have a captivating effect - looking at one of her patterns is like watching a story unfold.
Tell us about your journey - how did the business begin?
After I graduated from Goldsmiths with a Textiles degree I worked as a Breakdown Artist and Dyer for costume departments in theatre and film. I specialised in dyeing fabrics and colour matching, and after taking a break from the costume world I started working for a textile design studio in London. This new environment gave me access to some of the most beautiful antique fabrics and patterns and allowed me to travel the world - an endless source of inspiration.
I’ve always been really creative and in my spare time I was taking lots of courses in landscape drawing, textile design and lino printing. I became obsessed with English 20th-century artist-designers, especially after discovering Charleston House. I loved how Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant decorated their home and how they created a space that embodied functional art for everyday living.
All of this made me want to somehow combine my practical skills, learnt whilst working in costume, with my creative and research interests. It was therefore quite a natural decision for me to create a brand that enforced the idea of artist-designed textiles for everyday life - and so Beki Bright was born. I’d moved from London to Somerset to enrol on the MA Design at Bath Spa University, and everything came together whilst studying at Bath. It’s where I developed a business plan, and the Beki Bright Harvest collection was actually my final project. The rest is history!
Is there anyone in your life who has had a lasting influence on your taste and style?
When I first graduated I landed a work experience placement at the National Theatre in their Dye room, and I met one of my dearest friends there. I think our friends can be our biggest inspirations. She always shared the best recommendations for new exhibitions and artists! We’ve been lucky enough to travel together for work, and for fun, and I always feel inspired after spending time with her.
What, would you say, are the biggest inspirations for your creations?
I draw a lot of my inspiration from the English Countryside. Having grown up in Suffolk and spent time living in Somerset, I’ve become fascinated with English Folklore, country crafts, and rural rituals, all which have informed my work.
I love English 20th Century artists such as Vanessa Bell, Enid Marx, Peggy Angus and Eric Ravilious, and their work has really made me change my perspective. It’s energetic, playful and full of colour, features that have become important factors within my own practice. Through discovering their designs and artwork I began to look at design in a different way. They made me want to start creating fabrics that were highly decorative, but still functional.
Do you have a favourite moment of your making process
When I'm designing a new collection I love the initial drawing and research stage. At this point there is no internal pressure of thinking about end goals, especially the more technical aspects of screen printing and product design. I love the freedom of exploring new ideas - there’s an excitement in not knowing where a drawing or an idea may end up. After the initial repeats have been created I have so much fun experimenting with colour in the print room. I love getting my hands dirty, mixing colours, making screens and getting the design just right before I send off all the samples to be put into production.
Tell us about your supply chain - where do you source your materials? Do you try to remain conscious of longevity and sustainability?
My supply chain is intentionally very small. I have complete transparency over the production of my wallpapers, fabrics and products. All of my fabrics are screen printed with water based pigments in London onto a UK woven linen and cotton mix and my cushions and lampshades are made in Somerset and Essex. Everything is made to order so there is little to no waste, with all my offcuts being repurposed into samples or used for packaging. It's incredibly important to me that my business is sustainable and my products have longevity and durability. I want my work to be in the homes of my customers for many years to come.
Tell us something you love about your own home?
I love that we have used a lot of colour throughout our flat. Each room flows really beautifully from one to another, and I get a lot of satisfaction from colour transitions! I also love collecting artwork and textiles from my travels and buying hand made pieces from my friends and independent makers. Pretty much everything in my home tells a story.
What’s your favourite thing about being an independent maker?
I love drawing, screen printing and designing patterns and I can't believe I get to do this as a business. It can be stressful at times, but ultimately it's amazing having control over my work life. When I was doing my MA four years ago I would never have believed that I would be where I am now. I have to pinch myself and remind myself how lucky I am to be an independent maker.
The Light in the Lamp Quick Fire Round
Your favourite cocktail
Margarita.
Your ideal Sunday morning
An early swim at Brockwell Lido followed by breakfast at the lido cafe.
We’re coming round for dinner - what’s on the menu?
I love cooking Indian food, so I would choose a few dishes out of the Dishoom cookbook (which, funnily enough, I bought from LAMP LDN).
Your rainy afternoon comfort movie
I’m not a massive film watcher at home, but my comfort TV is 90’s period dramas. So you would probably catch me watching either Sense and Sensibility, Emma or Pride and Prejudice.
Your favourite pick from the current LAMP LDN collection (that isn’t something of yours!)
There are so many beautiful things to choose from but I love buying textiles, so for me it would have to be one of Melin Tregwynt’s pieces. I love their blankets and cushions!
You can follow Beki Bright on Instagram
