Texture: Cornish Modernism

As summer changes to autumn, we’re indulging our love of rich textures and colours.


For this month’s inspiration, our designers returned to St Ives and the naïve art of Alfred Wallis and Bryan Pearce.  Both Cornish painters, they earnt the respect and intrigue of artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicolson and Naum Gabo who found safe harbour in St Ives at the outbreak of World War Two. Wallis and Pearce’s instinctive art wasn’t bound by convention, and this spirit has found its way into our collection with simple, joyful shapes, statement checks and modern stripes.

Wallis and Pearce used their powerful visual memories to paint unique scenes inspired by their walks around St Ives. Their paintings had an almost childlike simplicity that made them unique.  This approach both challenged and intrigued classically trained artists, earning them international recognition. Seasalt print designer Katherine Lowes created our new ‘Bryan’s St Ives’ print to celebrate the freedom in the painter’s style.

In the spirit of naïve art, our designers have taken an experimental approach to new colour combinations. You will also find a spectrum of oily indigo blues in our collection this month – all shades Wallis used to paint the sea.

A Penzance local who was a fisherman as well as an artist, Wallis painted on old cardboard, making the colour and texture of this humble canvas integral to his work − as Ben Nicholson put it, bringing ‘the warp and woof’ of the board to life. These artistic textures are present in the tactile yarns of this month’s collection, from our soft, boiled wool coats and rippled corduroy to warm yet lightweight, merino-blend knits to keep you cosy till spring.

For our prints and palette, we also looked to Troika Pottery, founded in St Ives in 1963. Their unique designs are still highly collectible, loved for their colourful glazes, geometric shapes and highly textured patterns.

Luxurious, arty and eclectic, our designs experiment with new colour combinations, modern shapes and classic stripes, for stand-out style this autumn.