designer neisha crosland






One of the most successful UK textile and wallpaper designers of recent times is Neisha Crosland. She studied graphic design at Camberwell School of Art and completed postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art, where he degree show led to an invitation from Osborne & Little to create a collection for them. In 1994 she launched her own label and has produced many ranges of fabric and wallpaper but also rugs and ceramics. Neisha's work has also been collected by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.


Which five words best describe you? I really do not know.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I specialised in printed textiles at The Royal College of Art, and Osborne and Little commissioned a collection from my degree show. I then freelanced and sold designs painted up on paper to fashion houses and fabric houses. I became increasingly frustrated with not getting the designs to look like I wanted them to, by not finishing the process on to cloth, so I started my own line of scarves. I am now doing a variety of products with pattern on everything from wallpapers and fabrics to stationery and rugs.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Try to go one step at a time but keep stepping!

What’s your proudest career achievement? The goal posts keep moving, but I suppose the first time I saw one of my scarves worn by a woman in Sainsbury’s supermarket. It was in 1996 and my first collection - I remember following her around the dairy aisle like a groupie.

What’s been your best decision? To have children, to move my studio next to my home, and to book holidays well in advance so you have plenty of time to enjoy looking forward to them.

Who inspires you? Mothers who cook, garden and look after their children in a completely selfless way. When I was younger it was artists like Popova, and Matisse now.

What are you passionate about? After my family, work, after that food, wine, paintings, the sea and the mountains.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Matisse.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? Cook really well with great aplomb rather than flap and stress.

What are you reading? The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig.


images courtesy of neisha crosland