A design star is born

It’s Freshers’ Week at many universities and learning how to party with a bunch of strangers is lesson number one.

Knowing when to stop is more difficult but Charlotte Beevor caught on quickly.

“I was a bit of a workaholic when I was studying but looking back I’m glad because I think that has really helped me get on,” she says.

Hard work has certainly been a factor in developing her natural artistic talent but the Leeds College of Art and Design graduate has always been a star student.

The 24-year-old surface pattern designer won a host of prizes as a student and has already been commissioned by Made.com and Sofa.com and now by blind specialists Hillarys.

Her use of vivid colour and her bold, painterly style have proved popular and reflect her love of fine art.

“I was a painter and originally wanted to study fine art but one of the tutors on my art foundation diploma suggested surface pattern design, which is more functional. I found the printed textiles and surface pattern design course in Leeds and I loved it,” says Charlotte, who is originally from Norfolk.

At the end of her degree, she was chosen to take part in the prestigious New Designers exhibition in London, where she won BDC New Designer of the Year.

Just as impressive was being picked by Texprint to take part in its mentoring and business development programme. The charity takes the UK’s most talented textile design graduates and introduces them to buyers, press and sponsors at the Texprint London event and at Europe and Asia’s leading yarn and textile exhibitions.

Charlotte won another raft of prizes at the end of the 12 month programme, including the Lulu Lemon Athletica internship award. Her latest commission for Hillarys is her biggest and best yet. The company gave her a compact brief to include this season’s trend for winter florals and then gave her free rein.

She took her camera to Kew Royal Botanical Gardens and says she spent a day “playing Dora the Explorer”.

“I take lots of pictures but I don’t directly copy the photos in my work. They are for inspiration, so I just surround myself with them as I sit drawing and painting,” says Charlotte, whose Indigo Blue collection features abstract, hand-painted flowers and launches on September 27.

“I’ve loved working with Hillarys because they allowed me to be involved in everything, including the styling and the photo shoots,” says Charlotte who is now busy designing her own label prints.

* Charlotte Beevor’s fabrics for Hillarys feature on Roman blinds, curtains and cushions.

Sarah Quilliam, head of product design for Hillarys, says: “We were keen to work with a young designer and as soon as we saw Charlotte’s designs we loved the confidence and vibrancy of her colour combinations and her vivid brush strokes.”

The collection is available from Hillarys from September 27, hillarys.co.uk, tel: 0800 916 6516. Charlotte Beevor, charlottebeevor.com