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)
Right: Clutch with laser cut pockets. Left: Leather Duffle Bags, with hand casted concrete toggles.
Abstract compositions, an ongoing series of prints based on form and colour.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Studio Moon’s website
-
Glenn Sestig brings his fashion-infused design to a French Riviera flagshipThe Belgian architect is the creative force behind the modern-meets-Mediterranean design of shoe label Morobé’s new store in Saint-Tropez
-
Stay in a pastel-hued Puglian palazzo as it starts a new chapterA haven for the design-minded, Palazzo Daniele reopens following a thoughtful restoration by Milan-based Studio Palomba Serafini
-
‘As an artist, I’ve never felt more useful than now’: Steve McQueen on his monumental film screening in AmsterdamThe film director on why now felt like the right time to screen a previously unseen 34-hour version of his 2023 documentary ‘Occupied City’, on the façade of the Rijksmuseum
-
Lost William Morris designs are being revived and completed for a new collectionWhen The Huntington in California discovered incomplete William Morris designs in its archive, the museum partnered with Morris & Co. to bring the them to life in 'The Unfinished Works'
-
Patricia Urquiola’s immersive Kvadrat textile forest is inspired by the Nordic landscapeDuring Chart 2025, Patricia Urquiola and Danish designers Tableau team up to present a textile installation showcasing Kvadrat’s nature-inspired new collection
-
Bees can now check in at Kew’s new pollinator hotelAt Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden, artist Kristina Pulejkova unveils four functional sculptures that tell the hidden story of seeds and act as a refuge for bees during the heat of summer
-
Lulu Harrison is the Ralph Saltzman Prize winner 2025The Design Museum, London, announces Lulu Harrison as winner of The Ralph Saltzman Prize for emerging designers, and will showcase her work from 24 June to 25 August 2025
-
‘Designers are far more than just producers of commercial goods’: Samuel Ross on the London Design BiennaleThe artistic director of the major event and founder of A-COLD-WALL* discusses the role of a designer and the future of the sector in an exclusive interview
-
Kvadrat’s new ‘holy grail’ product by Peter Saville is inspired by spray-painted sheepThe new ‘Technicolour’ textile range celebrates Britain's craftsmanship, colourful sheep, and drizzly weather – and its designer would love it on a sofa
-
London Craft Week 2025 highlights – what to see this weekendLondon Craft Week 2025 (until 18 May) brings together some 1,000 established and emerging makers. Here is everything we saw and loved so you don't miss a thing
-
Erasers become architectural illusions at Gallery FumiLondon duo Study O Portable unveil 'Rubber Rocks', trompe-l’œil furniture made from erasers, exploring themes of materiality, memory and architectural decay
