KCR Summer 2025 Mag V2 - Flipbook - Page 8
KCR Meets: Emma Shipley
Emma J Shipley is a British graphic artist creating fabulous homeware
and accessories for nature lovers, dreamers and maximalists.
She is fascinated with nature and animals, in particular those from the
most extreme and wild places on Earth such as the jungles of South
America and the savannahs of Africa. Emma also draws inspiration
from her own travels with a fervent imagination and 昀椀ctional in昀氀uences
such as myths, legends, and fairytales to create a unique and fantastical
world of design. All of those beautifully elaborate designs are handdrawn in pencil, before being intricately digitally-coloured to give them
a distinctive look combining traditional and cutting-edge techniques.
Emma has come a long way since having launched at London Fashion
Week in 2012, when the famous boutique Browns launched Emma’s
graduate collection of printed scarves, and her collections are now
stocked in some of the best department stores and boutiques around
the world, including Harrods and Fortnum’s in London. Her creations
are all produced ethically, with premium materials and with a thorough
remit to minimise their impact on the environment.
Sid Raghava, a fan of the brand, spoke to Emma for the Kensington and
Chelsea Review
How did it all start o昀昀 and why did you particularly choose
Nature as inspiration for your designs?
It all started with my love for the natural world. Growing up, I was
always fascinated by wildlife, and it became my ultimate source of inspiration. The idea of capturing the wild beauty of nature and translating
it into my work felt natural to me. Exotic 昀氀ora and fauna, and mythical
elements from fantasy literature - they all spoke to me in a way that felt
magical! Nature has an incredible way of sparking the imagination, and
that’s what I wanted to bring into people’s homes - a sense of wonder
and connection to the world around us.
Particularly impressed with how lively your designs seem.
There’s a hint of the traditional intermixed with a 昀椀rmly modern, vivacious and yet, classy look. How do your designs come
together and how do you achieve your overall trademark
patterns?
Thank you! I start every design with an inspiration trip, and my own
photography and sketches. I mix this with other in昀氀uences like artists,
昀椀lm and fairytales, before I start working on a design. I begin every piece
by hand-drawing in pencil on paper, which allows me to develop the
design on the page, adding fantastical details as I go. Once I’ve 昀椀nished
the pencil illustration, I then bring it to life, adding colour digitally. The
mix of traditional in昀氀uences with unexpected details, executed in my
signature detailed illustration style, is what makes my designs unique.
You have some rather impressive environmental objectives
to go with your production. Can you please tell KCR readers
how you’ve managed to have such an amazingly sustainable
production process?
I absolutely love the Bosque Dreams Bedding - it’s one of my personal
favourites and I’m currently decorating my bedroom around it! The design was inspired by my travels to Costa Rica, and I’ve always felt a deep
connection to the jungle’s wild beauty. I’m also obsessed with our recent
jewellery collection, especially the Lynx Pendant Necklace, which I wear
every day. This 18k gold plated beauty has sold out three times already
- it’s so popular we can’t seem to keep it in stock! As for the new paint
collection, I love all of the greens, and our soft pinks, like Botticelli and
Kitten’s Nose, which to me can be used as a neutral in the home. I’ve designed all of our paint colours to perfectly complement our wallpapers,
and I can’t wait to see them being used together in people’s homes.
What are plans for the brand moving forward?
Moving forward, I’m excited to continue expanding our range and reach.
We’re exploring new and exciting product ranges that will bring that
sense of magic and creativity into people’s homes. We’re also adding to
our existing bestselling collections, so look out for new cushions, 昀椀ne
china and jewellery later this year. We also have some really exciting
collaborations in the works, I can’t wait to share what’s next!
You are London-based and our readers always appreciate
a brand from our city. Do you have any particular favourite
brands in terms of design or lifestyle that also emanate from
the city? Do you have any Kensington and Chelsea favourites
or connections as well?
London is such a vibrant and inspiring city! I’m based in Shoreditch and
love the eclectic mix of creative people and brands in the area, but I also
have a connection to Kensington, where I studied at the Royal College of
Art. I often 昀椀nd myself back in the area, whether for work or pleasure.
There are a few London brands and that I absolutely adore. Hayley
Menzies is one I really admire - her eclectic prints and vintage style pieces resonate with me, especially her ability to blend luxury with a sense of
fun and creativity. I live in her gorgeous tees!
Urban Flower Co. is my go-to for the best, colourful and creative bouquets in London.
Our jewellery collection is made in collaboration with award-winning
London-based jeweller Tomasz Donocik, and I’d collect all his stunning
pieces if I could! He has his own 昀椀ne jewellery collection, and also works
on a lot of bespoke commissions. His craftsmanship and attention to
detail are unparalleled, and wearing his pieces always draws comments
as they are so striking.
I also want to mention Red Leopard colour consultants in Battersea.
They are real experts and o昀昀er personal consultations to 昀椀nd your best
colours, which is so empowering and can really transform your daily
life. We work with them on our scarf collections, so once you know your
colour ‘season’ you can choose a scarf which will make you look your
most radiant self!
Is all of the production done in London?
Sustainability is something that’s very important to me. From the beginning, I wanted to create products that are thoughtfully designed and
made to last. One of the biggest problems the industry has is overproduction, with so much textile material ending up in land昀椀ll. I think one
of the most important things we can do as consumers is to buy less, and
buy better. I still have cushions from our 昀椀rst collection in 2018, they
are still great condition and and I still love them! We’ve also strived to
keep production local where possible, using natural material which will
eventually biodegrade. We work closely with manufacturers who share
our commitment to sustainability, ensuring our production processes
minimise waste and reduce our carbon footprint. It’s a constant journey,
but every step we take towards a more sustainable future is important
to me.
While we design everything here in London, our production process
takes place in a variety of locations. We work with trusted craftspeople
across the UK and internationally, depending on the speci昀椀c product.
For instance, our cushions, 昀椀ne china and wallpaper are all made in the
UK, while our bedding is made in Spain and scarves in Italy. Wherever
we work, we ensure that all our partners share the same values of quality and sustainability that we uphold.
The brand does cover a gamut of bedding, curtains, decorative items, and homeware even including Emma J Shipley
Paint for walls and furniture. What are some of your personal
favourites from the entire collection?
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW
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