Katie Leede
Katie Leede has a reputation in America for designing houses with a glamorous and bohemian twist using colourful and exotic textiles in witty combinations.
Of the two collections she has designed, one is Japanese themed, and is based on traditional designs and motifs with extensive use of the natural vegetable dye indigo to give a lovely time worn and laid-back feel. In addition the Japanese Collection’s other colourways are subtle and unusual shades such as tea, sesame, fig, allspice, and edamame.
The other, the Ra Collection, is inspired by ancient Egypt. Block printed designs evoke ancient tomb wall paintings and textures. Motifs are of papyrus, figs, hieroglyphics, lotus flowers, even Hoopoe birds in colours such as alligator, scorpion, raisin and rose. The names of the designs, Thebes, Osiris, Hathor, bring back memories of visits to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.
All the designs and colours are co-ordinated, which allows a whole scheme to be devised that looks effortlessly complete.