Sustainable fashion brand Mother of Pearl moves into homeware this summer with an exciting first collection exclusive to John Lewis
Since its launch in 2002, Mother of Pearl has been creating beautifully-considered, wearable fashion with sustainable principles at its heart. Its designs promote individuality while championing longevity, and we love its winning mantra of ‘classic but never boring.’ No wonder we have so fully embraced the look and ethos of the brand.
For 2021, these principles are coming home. Creative Director Amy Powney has worked closely with the John Lewis design and buying teams to create a first Mother of Pearl homeware collection, available exclusively at John Lewis.
‘I have loved creating this collection – it’s felt more like a hobby than a job,’ says Amy. ‘My husband and I have been renovating our house and I’ve become really passionate about interiors. Our home is white with black floors which is soothing and minimal, and these designs work perfectly there,’ she adds.
This range is focused on bedlinens and accessories including duvet sets, silk pillowcases, quilts and cushions, all in a naturally neutral palette and with pared-back monochrome patterns. ‘We’ve made sustainable choices with all the materials,’ explains Amy. ‘We use organic silk and cotton, linen and Tencel (wood-pulp fibre), and the cushion pads are made from recycled polyester.’ Longevity has a vital role to play in sustainability: ‘The designs and colours are timeless and beautiful – these are classics to stay in your home forever,’ she says.
“My favourite pieces are the silk pillowcases and eye masks, and the quilt which is hand-embroidered in India.”
In line with the principles of the Mother of Pearl fashion range, every part of the process from sourcing raw materials to low-impact production, ensuring transparency throughout and reducing packaging has been fine-tuned to make it as responsible as possible. It’s a journey you can follow on the cardboard tag on each product.
Concern for the environment has been a life-long passion for Amy. ‘I grew up in a barn in the middle of nowhere in Lancashire,” she says. ‘My parents had converted it to be off-grid so it was never as simple as turning a light on or getting hot water on demand and that gave me a totally different perspective on life and taught me not to take things for granted.’
It was while she was studying for her fashion degree that Amy really came to realise the extent of the negative impact on the environment caused by the industry and vowed to change what she could. ‘Mother of Pearl is about getting that message out to consumers and to the industry,’ she says. ‘And it’s also about creating great products at the end of it.’
“The John Lewis team is committed to sourcing raw materials ethically and sustainably. They’re working to be a force for good and I’m happy to be part of that.”
So what next for the brand? ‘I’m looking forward to expanding our homeware collection and, in a dream world, I’d like to design wallpaper or pieces that add decorative detail to the home – that’s if I ever find any spare time between running the company, designing and our baby!’ she laughs.
The Mother of Pearl collection launches with organic cotton bedding, silk pillow cases, hand-embroidered quilts and more, priced from £30.
