Bristish Embassy Paris UKTI - Lifestyle and Heritage Event April 2014

Well, I'm back!  Three days in Paris was fun, exciting and a bit of a whirl to be honest!  The trade visit to the British Embassy was an unforgettable experience, and surpassed all my expectations.

I met some very lovely people from UKTI, and their Paris counterparts, whose enthusiasm and advice was just brilliant.  I've said this before but I feel utterly privileged to have been invited to join some fabulous creative industries on this visit, who were the nicest, most down to earth people you could ever want to meet.  The building was stunning, as were the products on show.  The Ambassador and his wife were very generous and friendly hosts, taking the time to come and meet all the designers just prior to the event starting.  Then, as the guests arrived, so did the waiters with scrumptious canapes and champagne.  I had the added bonus of being accompanied by my other half to help at the reception, and we stayed on an extra night to enjoy some time together in St Germain de Pres on the left bank.

An amazing experience I won't forget.

Just catching my breath...

I think I have just enough time to squeeze in a tiny little blog about my weekend.  Yesterday was the Home Is In The North interiors showcase of northern design, at the fantastic St.Peter's where the Halle Orchestra are based in Manchester.  The beautifully restored church was drenched in warm sepia sunlight from the gorgeous yellow stained glass windows as Manchester enjoyed a glorious sunny day yesterday.  

Rachel Adams at the Social Butterfly did a sterling job organising and marketing the event - I think we had around 500 visitors and I have been well and truly warmed by the lovely feedback I had about my designs.  The exhibitors set a high standard, my favourites being Lisa Watson quilts, Greymoose Designs industrial lighting and Annabel Perrin's architectural surface patterns.  I hope everyone had a great day!  I know I did - and it was my birthday too!

Next up is Paris!  Have to get up at the unholy hour of 3.45am for my flight on Tuesday - cripes!   Not complaining though, as I'm an extremely lucky lady to have been asked to join the showcase alongside some very accomplished, established and successful businesses at the British Embassy.   Trying to decide what to wear...very tricky!

Some of my favourite pics from Manchester...

Annabel Perrin - lovely cups and tea towels

My stand!

Anthony Hughes

Loved this little Kate Bufton paper/book sculpture

 Industrial lamps by Greymoose Designs

Ingenious use of straws (yes!) from Rachel Britch

Lomas & Lomas

Beautiful quilts by Lisa Watson

St. Peter's - doesn't do it justice!

Flight has finally landed!

After a few very lovely days with my family over the Easter weekend, I find myself now in the midst of preparations for not just one trade show (Home Is In The North) this weekend, but one that is a) on my birthday, and b) 3 days before I fly off to Paris for the UK Trade & Industry reception, where I will have the chance to meet buyers from Paris home ware stores.  I have hardly even begun on my journey as a surface pattern designer, but I am really hoping that one of those Paris buyers has a liking for my work.  Soo exciting!

I also had some good and bad news today.  Starting with the bad, I heard today that my silks are not arriving soon (order went in in February!!), but the GOOD NEWS is that my 'Flight' wallpaper was finally delivered today after months in the design and printing stage.  It was worth the wait though, and I'm extremely pleased with the results!  What do you think...

Swoon Worthy: Home is In the North: 3 Amazing Designers + A GIVEAWAY!

Swoon Worthy: Home is In the North: 3 Amazing Designers + A GIVEAWAY!: Link

Shades of spring...

I spent yesterday photographing my new lampshades for my Paris look-book, and the website.   I hope you can see the cosy glow the lining casts - it's not as bright gold as the photos suggest, but is a little more subdued.  There's more on the website at clairemurraydesigns.co.uk but here's a little taster...

Happy Easter!

Claire Murray Designs: Very illuminating...

Claire Murray Designs: Very illuminating...:  I'm in the middle of a huge (still growing!), and towering pile of lampshades, and preparing for my show in Manchester in 2 weeks, clo...

Very illuminating...

 I'm in the middle of a huge (still growing!), and towering pile of lampshades, and preparing for my show in Manchester in 2 weeks, closely followed by the trade visit to Paris.  The silks are still on their way so I shall be burning the midnight oil cushion making as soon as they arrive.  The lampshades are now on the website (not a full set of photos yet, but there will be very soon), and available for sale.  I've made these ones with gold linings as it emits a really soft, cosy light, but if it doesn't work with your colour scheme you can email your request - white, silver, champagne and of course, gold are all available.  Go on treat yourself!  

Coriolacae, Flight, In the Wild, Heron and Champignon (l to r, top to bottom)

Claire Murray Designs: "Fun and unique!" The wallpaper that is...

Claire Murray Designs: "Fun and unique!" The wallpaper that is...: The Tab Collective have been busy launching their brand new website, promoting the home-wares of independent designers.  They are doing suc...

"Fun and unique!" The wallpaper that is...

The Tab Collective have been busy launching their brand new website, promoting the home-wares of independent designers.  They are doing such a great job too - a feature in the May issue of Homes and Antiques (out today 3rd April) showing my Flight wallpaper (and 2 more in the basket!).   I love this mag and am thrilled so see my design in there!

The Paris trade visit is quickly approaching now, and I steadily getting prepared.  I've been having some lessons to brush up on my French (v basic!) and I must have all my price lists and information translated into French and prices in euros.  It's all very exciting and a little nerve-wracking too, I'll admit!  The 'what will I wear?' question is also nagging me in the background but I have so much to do I can't really pay that much attention to it (yet!).

Watch out for silk fabrics by the metre later this spring, and some new lampshades too.

Quelle Surprise!

It's been a really lovely few days.  I have spent some quality time with some very dear and very old friends, booked my flights to Paris and discovered this post on WGSN (World Global Style Network)!  

The lovely people at Tab Collective are getting lots of brill press coverage too and there's going to a wallpaper feature in the May issue of Homes and Antiques.  

Booking tickets to Paris very soon!

I am ever so excited to say that I've been invited by UKTI (UK Trade & Industry) to attend a reception with my designs next month at the British Ambassador's Residence in Paris.  The building is amazing and I can't believe my designs will be professionally styled and on show to a host of Paris buyers.  Vivienne Westwood launched her 2012 collection here - I feel extremely honoured!  

Take a look, isn't it lovely.

New products, new stockists, new year! Roll on 2014!

It has been ages since my last blog!  In fact I just realised I've haven't posted anything at all in February (something quite lovely about going from Jan-Mar in one big jump)!  I've had my head down working hard of course, busying myself with silks and patterns and such like.

I had such lovely feedback at the Home London show, that I've returned to find myself going from the one-off sample pieces I showed (silk cushions and lampshades) to producing enough stock to sell through my new stockists.  I'm learning that patience is a virtue, and that the creative process is just that, a process, which takes time and energy to get just right.  My fabrics will be arriving soon, the cushion inserts (the best duck feathered ones I could find) are on order, and 'Flight' wallpaper will be printed within 2 weeks (it's been a difficult birth, but it will be worth it!).  I'm testing out a new fabric printer - the samples look good so far, and I've made some tiny adjustments to the fabric.  Satin silk is verryyy slippppyyyy and extremely delicate so I've opted for dupion silk for the cushions (slightly textured but still very luxe), and I'm going for poplin lampshades to keep the costs down a little for my customers.  I can't wait for everything to be ready and on the website but all in good time!

Oh, and I'm showing at Home is in the North in Manchester in April, and may indeed be going to Paris too (more on that later...).  Check out too, my two new stockists Will & Glory and The Tab Collective for some very lovely new homewares.