It was important to Emilie that they would form strong connections with craftsmen all over the world.
It was among the hustle and bustle of historic Portobello Market that Emilie O’Connor became reacquainted with an old school friend – a chance meeting which nine years on has developed into the highly successful 009 textiles.
Since setting up shop in 2003, the textile designers have gone from strength to strength, creating their own homeware line as well as designing bespoke pieces for luxury hotels and exclusive homes all over the world.
However, looking back at that fateful meeting it is apparent that the success of this business has not been without its risks. At the time of the company’s creation, Emilie had just graduated from Central St Martins with a degree in Theatre Design, and her friend, Gopali Mulji, had studied English at Oxford – hardly an ideal grounding for a career in textile design. Yet Emilie says ‘with a shared a love of textiles, colour and creating things, we took a gamble and started 009 textiles.’
Emilie now runs the business alone since Gopali left the company in 2006, shortly after getting married and relocating to India, but says they remain good friends.
When the business was first conceived, it was important to Emilie that they would form strong connections with craftsmen all over the world, one example of this is their continued relationship with some highly skilled embroiders based in Pakistan and India.
Why buy now?
009’s distinct and individual designs appear on both fabrics and wallpapers, and range from bold retro prints to intricate floral patterns. Each print is hand screen-printed and hand-painted in England using the same pigments as printing inks.
Emilie is clear about what makes 009’s work stand out from other designers: ‘They are instinctively designed, often drawn by hand, beautifully finished and full of unusual colour combinations. I love working with all sorts of ideas, from natural forms and urban landscapes, to old treasured belongings like my record print.’
