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Textile designer Emma J Shipley Collaborates with Clarke and Clarke

Yesterday I told you about a collaboration between ethical interiors store Aerende and broadcaster and chef Rosie Birkett, today we are looking another collaboration – this time between a textile designer and a manufacturer who have combined forces to create something fantastic – and looking at the products you will see I mean that in its most literal sense.

Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Soho chair in Tigris flame
Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Soho chair in Tigris flame

Textile designer Emma J Shipley has teamed up with Clarke and Clarke to create a range of gorgeous chairs upholstered in her signature fantastical designs. The collection is now on sale exclusively at Harrods for the next three months, and Emma will be in store – in the fabric library in the third floor –  on 12 May signing prints and talking about her inspiration as part of London Craft Week.

Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Dalston Chair in Audubon pink
Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Dalston Chair in Audubon pink

The collection follows on from her Animalia collection of fabrics and wallpaper and has been adapted for wooden frame and upholstered arm chairs. Fans of her work will recognise three of her best known designs – Audobon, Kruger and Tigris.

Emma said she wanted to take “the viewer on an enchanting journey, discovering new specoes and curious beasts in a maximalist jungle environment.”

Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Antoinette Chair in Kruger pink
Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Antoinette Chair in Kruger pink

The designs are taken from her original, and very detailed, pencil drawings, and inspired by trips to the Amazon, Africa and the Far East. This is Clarke and Clarke’s first foray into furniture design. The collaboration came about after the CEO of the company, Lee Clarke,  was at home when his wife, Emma, received a delivery of a cheetah cushion she had ordered – and don’t we all hate it when our partners are unexpectedly around when the stealth shopping arrives?

Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Kruger Lime
Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Kruger Lime

A few weeks later while lying on a sunbed on holiday, he and Emma (Clarke) were discussing potential collaborations and she reminded him how much he loved the giraffe cushion. Twenty minutes later he had rung Emma (J Shipley – many Emmas)  from his poolside seat to suggest working together and the deal was done.

the giraffe cushion by Emma J Shipley that led to a collaboration with Clarke and Clarke
The cheetah cushion by Emma J Shipley that led to a collaboration with Clarke and Clarke

Emma’s label launched at London Fashion Week in 2012 after she graduated from the London College of Art and Browns immediately started selling her graduate collection of scarves. She went on to win numerous awards and, as well as Harrods, is also stocked at Libertys and Fortnums.

Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke chair in Amazon red
Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke chair in Amazon red

Now a word about the accent chair as it’s often known. Don’t be scared of the pattern. Usually you only have one and it’s great to make a feature of it. Yes you can have bold and brave cushions but how much more fun to go all out with the chair. That’s a real confident statement and it’s always good to do that in a room.

There are, of course, two ways of going about it, either everything else is quite pared back and simple and the chair does the talking – that’s the fabulous scarf with the black trouser suit approach, or you go all out with lots of pattern and colour. But it’s kind of one of the other. There’s no middle ground with a chair like this.

Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Soho chair in navy Lemur
Emma J Shipley x Clarke & Clarke Soho chair in Navy Lemur

The frame chair starts at £499 and the armchair is £699. The frames come in a variety of different colours as well as the wood which is shown here  – acid pink and green being just two of the options.

Animalia chairs by Emma J Shipley and Clarke & Clarke
Animalia chairs by Emma J Shipley and Clarke & Clarke

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

1 Comment

  1. I absolutely love her prints and I have sampled them for 2 customers, (Amanda’s sofa being one) so fingers crossed I’ll be working with them very soon.

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