Leather front: Studio Moon puts a new spin on skins with printed bags
Leather gets dyed, battered and burnished but there has been remarkably little use of leather as something to design on rather than in. British textile designer Moon Hussain is changing all that. Having considered studying graphic design, Hussain ultimately decided to tackle textiles at Central Saint Martins. She took a year out along the way to focus her mind, working for Diane von Furstenberg in New York, Liberty in London and H&M in Gothenburg, as well as visiting factories in Asia.
Hussain decided printed textiles was her thing (‘focusing on type and form’, not giving up on those graphic-design ambitions) and that printing and treating leather was a niche she could work in. ‘Leather is such a versatile material,’ says Hussain. ‘It is used in so many different areas, from automotive design and accessories to interiors. And there are so many textile designers out there but not many that work with leather specifcally.’
Hussain only graduated last summer but has already worked her way through a variety of design means and ends. ‘I work with digital printing but I always try to add another layer to my pieces, to make sure the material never feels flat and has some kind of tactility to it.’ She has also tried more experimental techniques. ‘One process I have developed is printing with concrete. It’s taken a while to work out what kind of techniques work best with each other. It’s an ongoing process.’
Hussain has just finished work on a limited run of hand-painted canvas and leather backpacks, which she will sell on her website and at selected stockists, and is now working on a collection of unisex bags. She also sells prints at Triangle Store in Clapton, east London. ‘I would love to be involved with bespoke interior projects. I am also looking into working with faux leathers and leathers produced from sustainable sources. This will probably be the future of the industry, and I would love to be at the forefront of that.’
As originally featured in the October 2015 issue of Wallpaper* (W*199)
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Studio Moon’s website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Maude’s Brâncuși-inspired sex toys go on display in a new Paris exhibition
Maude’s design-led vibrators are now on display at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as part of ‘Private Lives: From the Bedroom to Social Media’. Brand founder Éva Goicochea talks to Wallpaper* about partnering with the museum and opening up cultural conversations around sex
By India Birgitta Jarvis Published
-
‘I was captivated by the idea of merging two iconic brands’: Nigo on his 1990s-inspired collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz
Unveiled at Moncler’s ‘The City of Genius’ event in Shanghai this past weekend, Japanese fashion designer Nigo unpacks his three-way collaboration with Moncler and Mercedes-Benz, which includes a play on the G-Class alongside a fashion collection in his eclectic style
By Jack Moss Published
-
Cathay Pacific’s new business class Aria Suites take flight
Cathay Pacific raises the bar for business-class travel with the launch of the much-anticipated Aria Suites
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh furniture meets South Asian diasporic art in an unusual London exhibition
Rajan Bijlani opens a show combining Pierre Jeanneret furniture for the Indian city of Chandigarh with works for sale by six artists of South Asian origin – in his own London townhouse
By Dal Chodha Published
-
Mud celebrates turning 30 with a new Islington store
To celebrate its 30th anniversary Mud opens a new Islington store, showcasing its Australian ceramics where beautiful design meets utility
By Jasper Spires Published
-
PAD London’s 16th edition is a blisteringly optimistic case for human achievement
At PAD London, collectible design is more than rarefied furniture; it is a compelling case for the uplifting power of craftsmanship at the dawn of the AI revolution
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
‘Natural gold’ straw weaving by Hanny Newton wins the inaugural QEST Sanderson rising star award
'I have been passionate and driven to champion straw embroidery as an exquisite, sustainable “natural gold”’: rising star Hanny Newton on winning the inaugural award
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
Lucienne Day’s lesser-known silk textiles are a splendour of geometry and colour at Margaret Howell
Margaret Howell presents British designer Lucienne Day’s 'Silk Mosaics' in a solo exhibition, alongside the launch of the brand's 2025 calendar in homage to Day
By Tianna Williams Published
-
First look: Western Mongolia meets Kew Gardens in John Pawson and Oyuna Tserendorj’s cashmere throws
Architectural designer John Pawson and cashmere designer Oyuna Tserendor have collaborated on a cashmere throw collection inspired by Pawson’s 70m Lake Crossing in the Royal Botanical Gardens
By Scarlett Conlon Published
-
The Home of Sustainable Things is a trove of circular design for domestic life
The Home of Sustainable Things (HOST), is a homeware shop in London, focused on circular design to encourage mindful living and more conscious consumption
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Alcova to curate Heimtextil Trends 25/26: expect ‘inspiration and surprise’
German textile fair Heimtextil has launched a new collaboration with Alcova, the experimental design platform. Here’s what to expect from the January 2025 fair
By Cristina Kiran Piotti Published