Designer Q&A
Ethereal Wings by Antonia Claudie
Antonia, it is a huge pleasure to collaborate with you on the Ethereal Wings wallpaper collection. Can you share with us the inspiration behind the collection, and why it was important to you to explore this theme?
AC: The inspiration for my collection comes from the fragile beauty of endangered butterflies and their delicate ecosystems. I wanted to capture their essence and create a collection of timeless wallcoverings and textiles. The intricate patterns on the wings of these butterflies inspired the colourways, and I chose to use only peace silks and natural plant-based dyes to bring that vision to life. The dyes are 100% plant-based, sourced from herbs and plants. This collection is a way to celebrate the fragility and beauty of the natural world, while raising awareness about its protection.
Your work has sustainability at its heart, dyeing the fabrics using eco-friendly natural pigments. Which pigments did you use for the Ethereal Wings collection, and can you talk us through the dyeing process, and the methods you use to create the delicate patina seen on your silks?
AC: For the Ethereal Wings collection, we use a range of European plant-based dyes, including walnut leaves, walnut husks, tansy, oak bark, and logwood. These herbal dyes are free from harsh chemicals and biodegradable, making them eco-friendly and sustainable. We also use traditional natural dyeing methods, such as simmering the plants to extract pigments, and creating natural mordants with substances like alum or the tannins in the herbs. This helps to fix the colours to the fabric in an eco-friendly way. We also employ a unique rust printing technique, where silk is wrapped around sustainable scrap metal. The natural chemical reaction between the rust and the herbal dyes creates one-of-a-kind patterns on the fabric. This process produces a beautiful, organic patina and ensures that each piece is truly unique, reflecting the delicate beauty of nature.
The exquisite Organic Peace Silk used across your work is farmed differently. Can you share with us why Peace Silk is a fantastic choice, and why it was important to you to choose most the sustainable option at every opportunity?
AC: We use 100% Fairtrade, Organic, and GOTS-certified peace silk, which is farmed sustainably and with respect for the environment. Unlike traditional silk production, which involves boiling the cocoons and killing the silkworms, peace silk allows the silkworms to complete their life cycle naturally. This means no harm of the silkworms, and the process is much gentler on the environment. Peace silk uses just a quarter of the water required by traditional silk production and eliminates the need for harsh chemicals. Additionally, it supports biodiversity, as silk moths play a vital role in local pollination.
We believe it’s important to choose the most sustainable options for our collections. By using peace silk, we honour both ethical production methods and environmental responsibility. The production of peace silk may be more costly, but it provides a cruelty-free alternative that aligns with our values of sustainability and respect for nature. Our commitment to using peace silk reflects a broader dedication to supporting people and the planet, ensuring that every piece we create is both luxurious and ethically produced.
The Ethereal Wings wallcoverings offer the opportunity to envelope a space in hand crafted luxury, why did you decide to collaborate with Chase Erwin, and how do you think our aesthetics and ethos’s align?
AC: I decided to collaborate with Chase Erwin because our aesthetics and ethos align. Chase Erwin is committed to creating products of high quality that are timeless and long-lasting. They are also dedicated to sustainability, using solar panels, electric cars, and planting trees to reduce their carbon footprint. The Ethereal Wings collection is all about celebrating nature and luxury, and Chase Erwin’s refined, timeless aesthetic complements that perfectly. Their exceptional skill in developing luxurious textiles and wallcoverings made them the perfect collaborator to realise this vision.
Do you have any favourite Chase Erwin fabrics that think would pair wonderfully with your wallcovering within a home?
AC: I think the Swing fabric in colour Sage from one of the latest Chase Erwin collections would pair beautifully with our Grassland colourway. The beautiful texture and soft, earthy green of Swing Sage would complement the hues of Grassland, creating a sophisticated but calming look in a space.
Which iconic building would you most like to see your wallcovering used in and why?
AC: I would love to see my wallcovering in The Waldorf Astoria and Tate Modern. The Waldorf Astoria’s rich history and luxurious interior would beautifully blend the sustainability and artistry of my wallcoverings with timeless sophistication. Tate Modern, with its dynamic, contemporary space, would provide an equally exciting contrast, giving my wallcoverings a modern, artistic setting.
If you had one day in London to explore and feel creatively inspired, where would you go and what would you do?
AC: I would start my day at the Victoria and Albert Museum to look at inspiration from objects, shapes, and textures. Next, I would head to the Barbican Centre, a space that feels like stepping into another world with its Brutalist architecture. The contrast between the historical elegance of the V&A and the futuristic feel of the Barbican is so creatively invigorating. I would take some time to wander through galleries before finishing with a walk in their water garden with a cup of tea.
Learn more about Ethereal Wings by reading our digital brochure.
Photography: Gary Jackson