This year, LuxDeco is celebrating International Women’s Day by championing the female designers who are changing the world of interiors. Meet the women creating incredible spaces, discover their best advice for others wanting to join the industry and learn more about the women that inspire them.
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MEET THE TASTEMAKER
5 Female Designers on the Women Who Inspire Them
This International Women's Day we are celebrating the women who are changing the world of interiors.
By Jade Bloomfield, Editor
Lena Cottray of Lawson Robb
On the best piece of advice for other women wanting to join the industry:
Don’t be afraid to let your ideas flow and be confident in explaining them, clients love to hear about your passions!
On the women that inspire her:
Wow it's hard to only pick two. Brigette Romanek: For her laid-back cool LA style with a touch of eclecticism and playfulness.
Laura Gonzales: Arguably one of the most creative designers out there who can play with colour, pattern and texture!
Charu Gandhi of Elicyon
On the best piece of advice for other women wanting to join the industry:
My key piece of advice would to be focus on what makes you stand out - what can you offer to a client that no one else can. If you are secure in your design aesthetic, your skills and your knowledge of the industry, you will be able to offer clients a unique perspective. Allow yourself to be influenced by your passions and hobbies as this will help you create a great artistic foundation, which you can then develop into your own distinctive design approach.
On the women that inspire her:
Zaha Hadid’s work and work ethic remains a constant source of inspiration to me personally - she was never intimated by being part of a male-dominated industry, and instead embraced being an outsider and used it to influence her work.
A design studio we admire greatly at Elicyon is the Egg Collective. Established by Stephanie Beamer, Crystal Ellis, and Hillary Petrie, their work is united by an underlying attention to detail, surface, and form, as well as a commitment to high-quality craftsmanship.
Irene Gunter of Gunter & Co.
On the best piece of advice for other women wanting to join the industry:
It's important to remember that you should never underestimate yourself or let others pigeonhole you. Just because the outside world sees you as young and naive, it doesn't mean you have to live up to their expectations. The key to success is to stand on your own two feet and feed yourself with knowledge. In a world where information is power, it's important to be constantly learning and growing. The more you know, the less likely others can tell you that something can’t be done, when it can!
On the women that inspire her:
I admire the Spanish product designer and architect Patricia Urquiola. She has successfully broken into the largely male-dominated world of Italian design and has collaborated with many of the world’s top furniture companies, including B&B Italia, Molteni & C, and Moroso. My favourite piece of hers must be Vieques, which is a contemporary take on an old-fashioned bathtub for Agape. I have specified this piece for several of my projects.
I‘m also always impressed by Kit Kemp's innovative approach to hotel design. Her bold use of colour and texture, and her willingness to take risks and push boundaries, sets her apart and serves as an excellent example for aspiring interior designers to follow.
Alexandria Dauley of Dauley Designs
On the best piece of advice for other women wanting to join the industry:
Always trust your instincts, stay true to who you are, your vision and your goals. Never be afraid to ask for help, remember that we are always learning and evolving and that there is room for everyone to thrive if we make space and support one another.
On the women that inspire her:
Natalia Miyar: I love everything her studio creates and I admire her focus, drive and unwavering attention to detail in all aspects of her business and service offering.
Eva Sonaike: Eva is developing traditional african designs in furnishings and fabric and weaving that into the high end mainstream, not an easy task but she has done so with elegance and huge success.
On their best piece of advice for other women wanting to join the industry:
We're often more reserved than men when it comes to advancing our careers and making connections, so networking is crucial. Don't be afraid to approach someone you admire and ask them for advice or mentorship. Within this industry so much of your success can be down to your contacts so don't be afraid to ask questions and learn from those you admire.
On the women that inspire them:
Horsch & Huebscher: There is a real purity in their work that we aspire to. Their combined background in the art market is evident in their projects, all the pieces are beautifully curated.
Phoebe Nicol: We love how Phoebe blends old and new pieces. You can really see her attention to architectural detail in all her work, we can appreciate how well considered every element is within her designs.
