About

rebellious NostalgiA

Helen’s work has been described as ‘Rebellious Nostalgia’, a meeting point between traditional craft and a quietly subversive contemporary aesthetic. With a strong sense of colour and a commitment to keeping heritage techniques alive, her scarves bring a fresh perspective to time honoured processes.

Each collection begins with a story. A growing interest in organic gardening evolved into a series of colour palettes drawn from edible plant families. A love of expressive fine art found its way into paint like forms, translated through wiggly French knitted tubes. Research into the Festival of Britain inspired a collection of scarves named after the cities that hosted the 1951 celebrations, with colourways drawn from their histories. The most recent Avian Collection draws inspiration from bird plumage, translating the shifting colour, pattern and movement found in feathers into woven form.

Every stage of the process is carried out by hand, from initial concept to final finishing. Threads are counted, wound onto the loom, passed through heddles, drawn through the reed and carefully tied before weaving begins. Once woven, the cloth is checked, washed, pressed, braided and divided. The final step is the simplest, a label sewn in by hand. It is a meticulous process, one that gives each scarf its character and longevity.

Helen holds an MA from the Royal College of Art and has designed for Alexander McQueen and Paul Smith. She has also woven Welsh wool for HRH King Charles III. She is a member of the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen and Design Nation, and works as a visiting university lecturer, mentor, commission weaver and occasional curator.

Alongside her practice, Helen can often be found exploring antiques markets, tending her garden, or enjoying a well earned cup of tea. She is currently working around limited studio time while raising her two young children, and continues to produce collections stocked in shops and galleries across the UK. Details of current stockists and events can be found on the relevant pages of this site.