Next up on Meet The Mother Maker series we got to chat to world renowned designer Donna Wilson.
Donna and her husband and two boys live in East London. Originally from Aberdeenshire, Donna is known for her vibrant and playful homewares and textile designs. Best known for her knitted creatures that light up any living space and instantly make you smile, she has developed a brand that is world renowned for its originality and use of colour, patterns and quirky illustrations. . We got to speak to her about what makes her tick, how she handles being a mum of two and running a successful business and where she draws her inspiration from.
Donna in her Studio. Photography by Gareth Hacker. July 2014
Photography by Gareth Hacker (July 2017) Copyright
I know you started out making knitted soft toy creatures when you began studying at the Royal College of Art. Do you still have your first knitted toy that you ever made?
“Yes I have a collection of the first ones up on my wall in the studio, it’s really funny to see how they have changed. They started off a lot weirder, then they got tamer and more animal-like and now I’m seeing a resurgence of the weirder ones again. I still can’t quite believe I have made a business making knitted creatures.”
Did you begin knitting by hand or did you use machines? Was this a new craft you had to learn?
“My grandma tried teaching me to hand knit but I’m too impatient and I wanted to see results more quickly. When I started art school I was introduced to the knitting machine. I loved how fast it was to see results and that I could control the pattern, colour and texture of what I was creating – so that was the beginning of the whole journey!”
At what point did you decide to take it a step further and begin developing clothing, homewares and accessories?
“I was always one for having my fingers in lots of pies, so at the RCA I collaborated with a Design Products student. We created an amazing floor covering made of 3,500 glove fingers, which introduced me to the world of furniture and interiors. I was also always looking to design other products that could sell in the same shops that the creatures sell in, so that side was always developing along side the creatures. I think the big break for the furniture was meeting SCP, a design shop in East London that also manufactures their own furniture. I collaborated with them in 2009 to design a sofa, arm chairs and collections of knitted ottomans.”
What has been your favourite product to design to date?
“There have been so many! One favourite was the puppet show for the Ljubljana children’s theatre, where we knitted the set and puppets for a fantastic touring show called Goose the Bear.”
Has having kids changed the way that you run your business? or the decisions that you make for the business?
” Yes, definitely. The first few years of having my kids, my business suffered a bit. I was in shock with how mentally demanding having children is! I had to learn to delegate a lot which was a good thing, but I kept working for my sanity, because I felt like my work was one of the things that made me feel like me! But now my kids are 3 and 5 and I have renewed my energy again, I think having kids has made me more ambitious in a way. Now I’m doing this for them as well as just me so that drives me a bit more. “
Last year, the Donna Wilson team collaborated with Ljubljana Puppet Theatre to make all the wool characters and scenery for this classic German children’s story Goose The Bear.
” But now my kids are 3 and 5 and I have renewed my energy again, I think having kids has made me more ambitious in a way. Now I’m doing this for them as well as just me so that drives me a bit more. “
Donna and her youngest son Logie. Photography by Carmel King.
Are you a work on the weekend kind of mum? How would you describe a normal working week? are you guilty of working in the evenings? some of us have different times where we like to be creative and other times for being productive.
“I never work on the weekend ( If I can help it). It’s a really precious time for me because I don’t see the kids through the week until the evening. I try not to be on my phone too much when I’m with them, as I don’t want them to think of me as a mum that doesn’t stop working. I want them to have my attention. So quite often when they go to bed, I will try to catch up a bit in the evening – but I am really lucky to have a great team that support me too!”
Donna in her home with son Logie. Photography by Carmel King
Whats been your biggest influence/inspiration? Or where do you go/what do you do when you are having a creative block?
I do occasionally get a block. I find the best way to get inspiration is go to a car boot sale or a library – and to try not to look at Instagram too much as it’s so distracting. I think getting inspiration from a real object helps to keep things more original.
I know your husband is also a creative and designs furniture. How important is his role in the Donna Wilson brand? or do you keep your careers separate?
We do keep our businesses quite separate, and I guess our house is where we collaborate. Jon makes lots of our furniture and we both have input into what we do with the house. Luckily we have similar taste. He recently made some beautiful plywood bunk beds that can be adjusted as the kids grow.
I know you have always supported the UK textiles industry and where possible had your products made here. For small businesses, making a margin on products for wholesale can be quite challenging especially when UK manufacturing costs are so much higher than other countries. Do you have any advice for brands on how to maintain relationships with UK manufacturers and keep costs down?
“Yes I have always felt so strongly about doing our own bit to help our economy, but I am finding it harder and harder with the wholesale margin too. It’s really tricky but it’s about trying to be clever with design – making sure products are made in the most economical way, for example by cutting down on colours, and also speaking to the manufacturers to hear their opinions too.And it’s definitely best to meet with them face to face. We work so much on email, but it’s so much better to see who you’re working with as the relationship will be stronger.”
You have done a lot of collaborations.. I know its hard to say but do you have a favourite project that you have worked on? any advice for brands looking to collaborate with larger brands? Did they come to you or did you approach them?
Most people have approached us, except for the collaboration with Japanese ceramicist Makoto Kagoshima, who I approached as I loved his work. He came to the studio a couple of times and we created a collection of knitted creatures together. I loved his way of looking at things. I feel you learn so much from any collaboration, it’s such a rich process as everyone works differently.
FOLLOW DONNA WILSON ON INSTAGRAM
HOW TO STYLE DONNA’S SILK SCARVES
(Donna shares some of her favourite things with us and we share some of our favourite completed looks with their new range of silk scarves. Wear them round your head, around your neck in a knot, tie them onto your bag and they make great breastfeeding covers too )
1. ELIAS ROSE CANYON DRESS – 135.00 euros // SESSUN | 2. ANDERS SU LEATHER BAG IN HONEY – 130 EUROS // SESSUN | 3. FLOWER SILK SCARF by DONNA WILSON // £95.00 // DOnna Wilson | 4. MISS KIKI AND CO MUSTARD HEADBAND – £6.00 // Miss Kiki and CO | 5. APOLINA FERN MARGAUX BABY BLOOMER – £24.00£18.00 // OLIVE LOVES ALFIE | 6. ANGULUS MARY JANE SANDALS IN YELLOW – £43.40 // Dapper Baby
1. Setagaya Everglade jumpsuit from Sessun // 81.25 Euros // SESSUN | 2. FACE NECKLACE by Karin Andreasson // £72.00// The Mother Maker | 3. ZOE NAVY SUEDE BOOTS by ESSKA // £160.00 // The Mother Maker | 4. FLOWER SILK SCARF by Donna Wilson// £95.00// Donna Wilson | 5. CIRCLE ROPE BAG by Rachel Rogers // £45.00 // The Mother Maker | 6. Angulus LACE UP BOOTS IN NAVY // £51.00 // Dapper Baby | 7. KALINKA HAND-KNIT ROMPER – MINT – 6M-3yrs // £62.00 // MAMAOWL | 8. KALINKA HAND-KNIT DANICA BONNET – CREAM – 0M-3Y – £26.00 // MAMAOWL
1.SANTA ANA RUFFLE DRESS – 148.00 EUROS // SESSUN | 2.STATEMENT DANGLY EARRINGS – -£15.00 // HELLO TERRY | 3.CLOVER SILK SCARF IN PINK – £95.00 // DONNA WILSON | 4.HOLIDAY SANDALS IN MENTHOL– £135.00 – SESSUN | 5. CINNAMON TRAVELLERS BABY SHOES – £42.00 // Amy & Ivor | 6. KIMONO BABY VEST – £20.00 // Charlotte Mattheiu | 7. TURATAO BUCKET BAG – 95.00 euros // SESSUN
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