Emma D’Arcey

My interest working in circular design stems from my MA PGDip at Central St Martins back in 2000 where I specialised in finding new ways of designing and working with silk for luxury fashion. Shortly after the course I developed a specialism in the art of marbling, pushing the boundaries & breaking the rules of this traditional craft. I founded my own business, initially based at Cockpit Arts selling product ranges & designing marbled mono-prints for fashion, retail, haute-couture and interior markets.

While based at Cockpit Arts I embarked on a project sponsored by Aveda with fashion designer Deborah Milner to create fabric for the first sustainable couture collection. Karen Spurgin was in charge of developing and sourcing the fabrics and it is from this inspired working relationship with Karen and Penny Walsh that ao textiles was founded in 2006.

All with circular design in mind I currently work across several disciplines, as both a surface designer and colourist, alongside developing my research profile specialising in plant-based colour.

With over 20 years of experience, I have built a client list including Hermès Paris, Stella McCartney, Deborah Milner, Aveda, Liberty, Zoffany, Avenida, V&A, Hauser & Wirth and Gainsborough Silk Weavers.

I am currently a Senior Lecturer, at Istituto Marangoni, London.