Growing up in Zimbabwe, my childhood was filled with adventure - an early experience that has left the strongest imprint on my work, life, and outlook.

Moving to England, I studied at the University of Brighton, where I graduated in 1990 with a BA in woven textiles. But, before long, I was restless for more adventure. I moved to India, where I found myself living in the heart of the textile quarter in Bangalore, surrounded by silk weavers, dye-houses and tanneries. I began managing a silk weaving and garment factory and, at the weekends, I’d go exploring in the hill stations and coastal regions in the south of India.

Returning to the UK, I started designing textiles for a range of companies, from familiar high street brands to luxury fashion houses. After a few years of classic textile design, I opened my first shop in Brighton and began crafting my own collection. It was picked up by Liberty of London, and then, in a whirlwind, I found myself showing at London and Paris Fashion week.

For ten years, I designed my womenswear collection, which sold in over 100 luxury stores worldwide. In 2007 I was awarded the UK Fashion Export Award for Womenswear, and my lifestyle brand collaboration, Modern Love, was showcased by Liberty as one of the first 'Best of British' labels.

Today, my signature style of elegant beauty has expanded into areas outside the fashion industry to explore a broader creative process. I work across a range of mediums, including hand-painting, photography and digital-illustration. My portfolio also includes a licensed wallpaper collection for TEKTURA and Robin Sprong, bespoke engineered wallpapers for The Science Museum, public space commissions, and collaborations with brands such as Dior, Escada, American Express and Liberty.

I have been featured in magazines such as Metropolitan, Royal Ascot, Myself, and the Illustrated Recipe. Recent collaborative projects include: illustrations for the multi-layered novels of V.S Naipaul; commissions from The National Trust; The Royal Pavilion in Brighton; and the 2018 'Thank You 100' Royal British Legion commission, which was launched at Tate Modern and travelled the UK as part of the Armistice Centenary.

Whatever I turn my hand to, there’s always a narrative running through my work. Influenced by flora, fauna, film, poetry, architecture and - of course - travel, I think of my aesthetic as a cocktail of adventure, colour and pattern: a fantasy style that lets you into an indulgent paradise and leaves you feeling like you’ve woken from a dream.

Sarah