Meet the clever Emma Haddon (Textile Designer) and her pride and ginger joy, Mary. Featured: Gia Midi Skirt, Marquise Tea Towel, resin.
Featured: Ava Punch Needle Cushion, Aletta Shag Cushion, resin.
All three members of the design team have collectively decided this is their favourite cushion from the A/W collection. All carefully hand-embroidered.
Featured: Capi Knot Rug, Brunetta Jacquard Cushion, Rosalie Embroidered Cushion.
If Marguerite had a dating profile, what would her bio say… who is she?
I imagine Marguerite to be timelessly cool with a retro edge. She has a curated home of eclectic artful pieces full of love. She has a joyful charm styled with vintage nostalgia. She’s been wearing those high-waisted 70’s jeans for years but somehow, she always looks stylish. Marguerite travels the world as an old soul, taking in the slow everyday tasks as a work of art to be admired. While Emily was going to Paris, Marguerite was going to Milan...
Featured: Zabrina Linen Flat Sheet, Gia linen Fitted Sheet, Gia Linen Quilt Cover, Cosimo Pom Pom Cushion
What were the key inspirations for Marguerite? How was she born?
Marguerite is the brainchild of Phoebe (aka: Pheebs in our HQ lingo). Pheebs put together a seemingly random selection of images and ideas for our starting point. Upon closer inspection I could see a common theme of lovingly handcrafted and nostalgic things. There's vintage patchwork, retro florals, hand-sketched geometrics and some old skool Grandpa vibes thrown together in a mood board of literally hundreds of images. From that, Phoebe, Jemma and I came together to share ideas, pull together a colour palette and start drawing. It’s a very collaborative design process which I love. After drawing a few key motifs Marguerite’s sense of self became obvious and the designs came pouring out. With the design brilliance of Jem and Pheebs guiding me through, Marguerite the collection was born.
Emma working away in her home office (forever with an English Breakfast in hand).
What is your favourite product from the entire range?… Hmm actually that’s cruel, what are your top 3 products?
The whole collection! Don’t make me pick my favourite child. I am obsessed with the Floria Velvet Bean Bag – its floral, velvet and green; that’s all my sweet spots right there. I am debating whether I should get rid of my dining table so I can fit it in my house. I am also in love with all things ‘Gia’, the bed linen is divine. It’s just so cool, for lack of a better word. This retro geometric design gives me warm and fuzzy memories of simpler times. Last but not least the Mara Wall Hanging is making its way to its forever home in my lounge room. The colours and textures of this guy take me to my happy place.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Featured: Fia Velvet Sham, Aida Flatweave Rug & bean bags.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. We call this, Grandpa Glam - Shop this entire look here.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Featured: Mara Wall Hanging.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Featured: Brunetta Jacquard Cushion, Mara Wall Hanging.
What did you find most challenging about designing Marguerite? And what products did you enjoy designing the most?
The kids collection was a real sticking point for this collection. We took a long time choosing the prints for the bed linen. The kids collection is one of the parts I’m most proud of. Of course things that are the most difficult are often most rewarding. I love it, it was totally worth the effort. It's so joyful and fun. Our best kids collection yet in my eyes. The kids bedcovers are lovingly embroidered and appliquéd, they have a heirloom quality about them. Wall hangings are my favourite thing to design. It amazes me to see how our artisans take my 2D design and create a 3D work of art. Woven by hand they take up to 3 days for one person to make. As a designer and not an artist I always felt my art wasn’t ‘good enough’ to be hanging on a wall to admire. The wall hangings have changed my mind about that.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Shop the entire kids + baby collection here.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Featured: Ravello Fitted Cot Sheet, Positano Cushion.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Shop the entire kids + baby collection here.
Photographed by - Armelle Habib. Shop the entire kids + baby collection here.
When you’re in the thick of designing a new range and are having a blah or flat day… how do you get inspired?
These kind of days definitely do happen. Designing such a big collection design fatigue is a real thing. My brain goes blank and nothing seems to work. I find it helpful to completely stop what I’m doing and focus on something else. So basically shut down and reboot. I have two remedies for this problem nature or shopping. Getting out of the house for a walk in the fresh air gives me back the good energy I need. On the shopping front I am a marketplace addict. Maybe it’s the endorphin rush of window shopping when I hit the little ‘save’ button of a cute vintage piece of something I will never actually purchase. Who knows, but it works.
What are your top interior tips for achieving the signature bohemian + nostalgic Sage x Clare aesthetic?
I am not an Interior Designer by any means. I just collect what I love and try to find a spot where it works. I tend to link objects using colour or theme. If you love it, the joy in your home will show as a natural expression. I gave up aspiring for a minimalist designer home where everything is perfectly curated. My home has become a happy mish-mash of things I love. So my advice is: to collect things that make your eyes sparkle (Marie Kondo knows a few things). A mix of different styles and textures create the S x C aesthetic. Mid-century meets modern, vintage boho meets 70’s retro, shag meets velvet. It’s a maximalist eclectic way of life.
Featured: Ava Oven Mitt, Marquise Tea Towel.
How does the Play range differ from the main range?
Play is a simplified version of our main range in terms of hand-crafted techniques. Its pared back in terms of how many trims and hand detailing we do on each product. The iconic S x C aesthetic is still visible with the colourful prints and pattern clash combos but as there are less handmade elements, it’s a little bit friendlier to the bank account. There is also cotton bedding which is super comfy and soft. Great for people who prefer to sleep on cotton but still love our style. Play also seamlessly mixes in with the Kids & Baby collection for creating some super cute junior spaces. The colour palette is consistent across our main collection, Play and Kids & Baby so you can easily mix and match pieces to your hearts desire.
Featured: Floria Linen Bath Robe, Cosimo Pom Pom Cushion.
Did you always want to be a Textile Designer? Why did you choose this career?
I had dreams of becoming a Florist, Art Teacher and then Fashion Designer before I stumbled into Textile Design. I think it’s a perfect combination of all the things I like to do. Drawing flowers, playing with textiles, and working with creative people. I have always been obsessed with printed fabrics. Every country I visit I make a beeline to the fabric market for hours of shopping for fabrics that I plan to use one day, but never actually do. I didn’t really choose it as a career, it kind of chose me in the form of an acceptance letter from RMIT. I applied for a few different fine art drawing courses, jewellery design, fashion design and textile design. It seems the course selectors knew what they were doing when they saw my folio of work.
Browse the entire Marguerite collection here.
With a whole lotta love xx