Madeaux by Richard Smith

Inspired by nature, global travel, art and architecture, Richard Smith’s fabrics and papers combine imagination and informality with the honed craftsmanship of an experienced eye. Richard created his own fabric house, Madeaux, in 2011, to run concurrently alongside his work designing wallpapers and fabrics for Jim Thompson. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has produced beguiling designs for a host of renowned fabric houses, from Rubelli to Osborne & Little. Now, from his East Sussex studio overlooking the landscape of the south coast and the English Channel beyond, Richard creates covetable printed, embroidered and woven fabrics, producing seasonal capsule collections that are inspired as much by the wildlife found right on his doorstep as by the ancient documents or vintage tapestries unearthed during his travels. Many pieces start life as water colours on his sketchpad and most are created by hand. From whimsical florals and classic stripes to bold geometrics, each has a sense of playfulness and understated chic.