The development of my Kaffe Fassett collection happened very organically, as I had worked with Kaffe here and there for a few years part-time at his studio in Kilburn and kept in touch with him and his studio manager and design partner Brandon Mably. They were supportive and inquisitive of my business, as I told them about new samples I was working on or stories about my producers in Nepal.
For those who don’t know, Kaffe Fassett is a world-renowned artist and textile designer, who, for the last fifty years, has inspired individuals to find their own creativity through his unique sense of colour and passion for handmade textile crafts - such as knitting, needlepoint and patchwork – who received an MBE this year for his dedication to the crafts. His passion for handmade crafts and textiles resonates with AURA QUE’s ethical production principles nurtured with artisans in Nepal.
Being surrounded by vibrant pattern and colour at the Kaffe Fassett studio reminded me of the sari textile shops, local markets and temples that I would go pass in Nepal, which is a sight for the eyes! Likewise, in Kaffe’s studio, I would take in the latest bold quilt design on the design wall, beautiful new needlepoint designs or knit swatches in a billion yarn colours with awe. In Nepal I have always loved the vibrant colourful look of the indigenous textiles and jewellery, though been very aware that it doesn’t fit with my AURA QUE brand aesthetic with a selective colour palette each season. So I decided to launch AURA QUE Brights as a mini collection within my range, launching with fashion and home accessories, giving an outlet for this bold colour palette I was surrounded with, and naturally I asked Kaffe, ‘the King of Colour’, if I could work with his painted fabric designs for my first bold collection!
With the fabric skillfully screen printed with 12 colours in Southeast Asia, I decided to use all my experience to work with a new ethical producer group in Vietnam, a country that Kaffe had visited and loved, years before. I visited the Vietnamese producer in Hanoi for sampling last year and backpacked the length of the country, which was a fantastic introduction to such a fabulous friendly culture.
View the AURA QUE and KAFFE FASSETT range here.
If you'd like to see more of our AURA QUE Brights range, follow us on Instagram - @auraquebrights
Laura Queening
Designer
AURA QUE