Meet the Maker behind Dandelou
MEET LUCY
Fresh on the block of upholstery fabric design is Lucy Hinde, founder and creator behind our newest brand, Dandelou.
Dandelou is an Australian print focused textile brand creating playful & evocative fabrics for interiors with a special interest in upholstery. All patterns are created through hand-crafted techniques as a commitment to creativity through playful delight. They feature nostalgic and expressive patterns brought to life with unusual & dreamy colour palettes.
Lucy has been creating patterns and textiles as textile designer for over 10 years, working across a range of applications such as homewares, fashion, lifestyle and events. It was only in the last 2 years after Lucy completed a course in upholstery that she was inspired to fulfil a dream of hers that had been stirring for a while. A dream to create a range of upholstery fabrics that were both uplifting in aesthetics and long lasting in quality, seeking to bring light and pattern into the mundane and encouraging the rejuvenation of forgotten chairs and family heirlooms.
DESIGN PROCESS
Fresh on the block of upholstery fabric design is Lucy Hinde, founder and creator behind our newest brand, Dandelou.
The patterns featured in Lucy’s debut fabric collection ‘Nostalgia Garden’ were created out of her desire to investigate and document plants and textiles that have a significant connection to Lucy’s past.
“I am always collecting fabrics, patterns and references from every corner of my life.”
When a print idea begins to emerge, she creates a mood board, researching her ideas in depth before beginning a design. Once a pattern begins to emerge on paper, Lucy creates the motifs through illustration or painting then works it into a seamless repeat before applying considered and unusual colour arrangements. Lucy describes this process like solving a puzzle!
“I have always intentionally begun all my patterns via hand-crafted techniques as it allows for authenticity in style and my true handwriting to be presented.”
We are a huge believer in celebrating the imperfections and so is Lucy.
“To me it is the imperfect edges of a pattern that signify the person who created it, making the fabric a unique artwork and separating it from something mass produced…Each print needs to tell a unique story, giving my customers an opportunity to form a strong connection to the pattern and as a result they are more likely to intentionally use the fabric and hold on to it forever.”
VALUING SUSTAINABILITY.
When we asked Lucy about her environmental consideration within Dandelou, she expressed her determination for an eco conscious ethos and production processes.
One of Dandelou’s core goals is to inspire customers to see the joy and value in the concept of Re-Use & Restore over Replace. This idea can be achieved through reupholstering old & damaged furniture that potentially holds more personal significance than buying something new.
“By choosing a fabric that excites & inspires, you can re-invent an existing piece of furniture whilst also preserving a piece of the past.”
Dandelou’s digital printing production process also maintains the eco conscious values within the brand.
“Digital printing allows our fabrics to be printed to order, only producing what is needed and so there is minimal waste. The fabrics are printed with non-toxic reactive dyes and we have chosen to print on natural & durable bases such as linen.”
DREAMS & FUTURE PLANS
When we asked Lucy what her dream would be to work on, she pleasantly surprised us!
“It sounds like a really dorky idea but I have always been weirdly intrigued by the patterns featured on public transport seating, some of the ones in Australia are particularly daggy but also iconic! I would love to design a modern patterned fabric to be used on the upholstery of Australia’s transport networks….. buses, trains, trams!”
We would absolutely love to see Lucy’s fun and bright fabrics sat on daily by commuters – what a great way to make an impact!
We are looking forward to what Lucy produces next!
You can find Dandelou’s full collection here.