In conversation with Henry Holland
Henry Holland is a name synonymous with bold design and creativity. From his days as a fashion designer at House of Holland to his more recent foray into ceramics with Henry Holland Studio, and now his collaboration with Harlequin, Henry continues to make waves in the design world.
In this Q&A, we sit down with Henry to explore his journey from the fashion runway to interiors, his love for the Japanese technique of Nerikomi, and his inspiration behind his latest collaboration with Harlequin.
Henry Holland scheming with designs from his collaboration with Harlequin
Products featured: Blenets Check Mini fabric, Marble Tapestry fabric, Elsworthy wallpaper, Elsworthy fabric
How would you describe your style?
Bold, playful and joyful.
You spent many years as a fashion designer, with your own label House of Holland. How did you get into a career in fashion?
My career in fashion started in fashion journalism when I was the fashion Editor and multiple teen magazines in my early 20’s, and then I went on to found my brand off the back of some very naughty slogan T-shirts. They originated as a simple idea I had for something I wanted to wear to the nightclubs of East London and they quickly took off!
We all know you from House of Holland and more recently Henry Holland Studio. What bought you from fashion to ceramics, and then to interiors?
When my business was sold on at the beginning of the pandemic, I felt like it was the right time for me to step back. I was so proud of everything I had achieved with my team and yet I was ready for a new challenge. During the time and space that the pandemic offered us all, I was having some ceramics classes as a way of channelling my creativity while I was planning my next career move, and I just fell instantly in love - and it was in the pottery studio that I found my new vocation. I sort of feel like ceramics found me!
What initially sparked your interest in the Japanese pottery technique Nerikomi, which served as inspiration for both your ceramic work and this collection?
When I started out in ceramics I tried to create pattern and colour through glazes but I found it very painterly and not quite graphic and bold enough, so when I discovered nerikomi (using coloured clays to create pattern and texture) I managed to find a technique that spoke to my sensibility and created pieces that I felt reflected my personal style.
Where do you look for inspiration, when working with fashion, ceramics and interiors?
I think people with creative brains are all a bit like a sponge - we see things and they trigger something in our brain that we cannot switch off. We are always thinking about ways to reinterpret something or combining ideas we see in life, or stories we want to tell, and channelling them through our work. At times it's exhausting and I wish I could take things at face value, but I wouldn’t change it really!
How does the creative process differ working with fabrics/wallpapers vs fashion?
There are very many similarities for sure, working in textiles and also working in all-over prints with repeats as we did with the wallpaper, so I did have some transferable skills. I was also fascinated by the whole process and hungry to learn the differences and nuances between interiors and fashion fabrics. In fashion, we work in drapery fabrics and tailoring, and in interiors that becomes drapery and upholstery depending on the fabric's properties, so there are definitely things that I could bring with me from my previous work that helped inform the process.
How long did the collection take to create, from ideation to seeing it in the real world?
I started working with Claire Vallis, the Creative Director at Sanderson Design Group, and the design team around 18 months ago on the initial concepts for the collection. I visited the Sanderson archive of 65,000 pieces and visited their factory and saw all of the traditional and modern techniques they use when printing wallpaper and fabrics. From there we set about pulling from my own personal autobiographical references which were important for me to infuse throughout the collection.
Henry at his ceramic studio & his infamous wedding suit which served as inspiration for the Elsworthy fabric & wallpaper
Products featured: Ludaix Velvet fabric, Pet Shop fabric, Southborough wallpaper
How does Harlequin's brand values and style align with yours?
Harlequin is a brand known for its love of colour, and it's modern and playful which meant there was a freedom for us to create something that felt new and directional, yet reflective of my aesthetic and work with ceramics.
What has been your favourite thing about working with fabric and wallpaper?
Oh wow, so much - creating things with so much texture and depth has been so much for me! From the texture in the moiré to the bouclé appliqué, and all-over crewel embroideries in the fabric and the embossed wallpapers. I loved it all and I’m so proud of the collection we have created together.
What is your favourite design from the collection & why?
Oh that’s like choosing a favourite child but I would have to say the Elsworthy - the moiré. The reference point for this was my wedding suit as I got married in mint green moiré silk and so I knew from the off that I wanted this fabric to be a part of the collection and it has such fond memories for me. It also comes as a coordinating wallpaper design.
Henry's favourite room in the house, the master bedroom AKA "The Hotel"
Products featured: Elsworthy wallpaper, Elsworthy fabric, Marble Tapestry fabric, Blenets Check fabric, Marble Wave fabric
We’re all about guiding our customers to decorate with pattern and to not be afraid to use more than one pattern in a scheme. Do you have any favourite pattern combinations?
The whole idea behind our collection is that it all works together as a scheme. Our concise colour palette which is based on our ceramics really helps with this. We never use optical white or black and instead use oatmeal linen slub bases and chocolate brown as our grounding colours, then when we layer on blues, greens and pinks so they all sit together really harmoniously.
How would you love to see your collection used?
In any way that provides joy and makes people love their home - it's such an honour for people to adopt your work and use it in their most personal of spaces so I’m just happy to see people loving the collection and using it in the way that works for them!
You’ve been working on renovating your house which you’ve aptly named HENovation which we love! What is your favourite room in your house & why?
I would have to say our bedroom - we call it "The Hotel" as it feels so posh! We love going up to bed these days, not going out every night till all hours!
Henry in his dressing room which he swathed in his Southborough fabric for a softer, more tactile look & his landing, drenched in Blenets Check fabric
Products featured: Elsworthy fabric, Southborough fabric, Blenets check fabric in Chocolate and Oatmeal