Final year project
Where the Land Meets the Sea [Read more]
The Calm Before the Storm
This is a close up of the largest piece in the collection. It is a rug and wall hanging which has been inspired by rock pools and water movement. It is made from hessian canvas which has been digitally embroidered and then hand-tufted using two different kinds of Devon sheep wool. It is 120 x 65 cm.
The Clock Tower
I took this photograph at the beginning of my project when I was looking for inspiration. This view across the sea shows Plymouth in the far distance. I particularly like the way it captures the soft lighting that is being created by the sea mist coming in and the muted tones hugely inspired my colour palette.
Sampling
I explored quite a few different approaches in the initial stages of sampling for this project. This included eco-resin casting, ceramics and embossing into leather. I was interested in the subtlety that could be created in tone on tone designs which can mimic textures found in our natural environment. This sample is a section of flocked wallpaper that I created in the very early stages of my project.
Barnacles
This is a piece from my final collection which was inspired by the way barnacles cluster and then disperse across rock faces. I tried to recreate the uneven surface by layering sheets of foam underneath the embroidery to create a range of relief throughout the design. This piece is on a wool and linen blend and is 60 x 100 cm.
An Oyster
More initial inspiration photography of an oyster hidden between two rocks.
The River Yealm Arm Chair and Mothecombe Blanket
The River Yealm is a river which runs through the centre of the village I grew up in and plays a big part in daily life for the locals. The design for the armchair was inspired by the way the river meanders through the landscape and how the river shrinks and grows with the tide. The blanket represents sand formations that are left on the Mothecombe beach when the tide goes out. Every day the patterns left in the sand are different depending on the direction of the wind, height of the waves and the level of the tide. The armchair is digital embroidery onto tan leather and the blanket has been made on the jacquard machine using cotton yarns.
Tufting
Hand rug tufting is a traditional process that was used a lot in rural areas that had a good supply of sheep wool such as Devon. I was very keen to include this process as I was interested in the relief and textures it creates and the way it imitates the rolling hills and landscape of Devon. This was one of my earlier tufting samples which I combined with digital embroidery on a hessian canvas and is A5 in size.
Visulisation
This is a digitally drawn visualisation of some of my final collection in an interior setting. It features the 'Barnacle' embroidery on the curtain with a digital print on linen on the reverse, a digitally printed wallpaper, 'The River Yealm' armchair, 'Mothecombe' jacquard blanket and a digitally printed linen footstool.
Chloë Sluce
'Where the Land Meets the Sea' is an interiors project inspired by textures found along the South Devon coastline. The project puts emphasis on bridging the gap between traditional and digital textile processes in order to create innovative and contemporary interior design products.
For my final major project, I wanted to explore my relationship with the landscape of the area that I live in and the emotions that it evokes for me. Having grown up in London, moving to a small historical fishing village in South Devon was a huge lifestyle change for us as a family. It had countless positive impacts on both our physical and mental health and became a safe haven that allowed us to be surrounded by space, comfort and natural beauty. I wanted to create a collection that created a sense of escaping to the countryside for a breath of fresh air and having space to let your mind wonder. To achieve this I embraced the heritage of the South West by using traditional crafts to recreate landscapes and textures and then combine them with digital applications such as digital print and embroidery. My colour palette and material choices also reflect this as I have used very calming and muted earthy tones and neutrals with hints of blue and terracotta which allows it to have an organic and timeless feel.
Final year project
Where the Land Meets the Sea
Awards
2021 Diploma in Professional Studies.
Work Experience
I spent several months as the buying intern at Nkuku which is an ethical homeware brand based in Devon. I was inspired by their attitude towards sustainable interiors and creating products based on longevity rather than being trend lead. Their material choice was key to the endurance of their products and they used a lot of natural and uncoloured materials. I felt that this would be an appropriate approach to take when deciding which fabrics I wanted to use in my own collection. I have used a selection of different textures and materials which are sympathetic to the heritage of the South West and also practical in an interior environment. This includes hessian, leather, sheep wool, mohair and organic linens.
I also completed shorter design placements at Monsoon Accessorize, Burberry and Bay and Brown. These placements provided me with a very broad range of experiences and I was able to expand my design and print knowledge as well as how both high street and high-end fashion industries work.