How We Design

Fern

I've always loved ferns. They have a primitive, otherworldly quality about them, and in fact are found in fossils dating back 300 million years. It was obvious, then, when we set out to create a collection inspired by fossils, that we include a pattern that highlighted their delicate leafy fronds.

Over the past 35 years I have collected books covering a broad range of visual subjects. I looked to my design library for inspiration to learn more about types of ferns and leaves that could have been found in fossils.

The images came from etchings, photographs of plants and by scanning actual ferns to make a mixture of different shapes. Instead of working on a computer, I cut apart and rearranged the individual pieces to create an all-over design.

I personally like to work on the floor, as I can see the pattern evolve close up and from a distance. I wanted an ethereal feeling, as if one had found a broken rock and a partial imprint of the fern or leaf appeared.