- Who are you and where do you live?
We are husband and wife team Sunny + Emma Todd, I am a Royal College of Art graduate and established ‘Sunny Todd Prints’ with Emma in 2013. We live in England, in a beautiful town called Ledbury, Herefordshire not far from the beautiful Malvern Hills.
- What do you do?
- Who & what inspires you?
Everything! We love the Paul Smith quote- "You can find inspiration in everything , and if you can't, look again" We love design in all its forms and read about, see shows and explore new ideas as much as we can. We re endlessly inspired by our children- they are so in the moment and they create things with sheer joy, freely and without reserve- they are great fun!
- What doesn’t inspire you?
Muted colours such as beige and very rigid design, we think that design should be fun and without rules!
- What projects have you been recently working on?
Collaborating has been so important for our young company and we’ve been lucky enough to work on some amazing projects with really influential people. Some of our favourites have included hand woven rugs with Floor_Story, beautiful knitted blankets with Studio Roam and bespoke hand printed cushions for Heals. We have recently been working on a collection of accessories and silk dresses for Anthropologie, a cushion collection for John Lewis and ideas for our own next range.
- What projects in your lifetime have the most significance in both of your work?
Putting together our first fabric book was a real labour of love and hugely significant for us, we hand cut and arranged all of the designs then painstakingly mixed the colours by eye then experimented endlessly until we were happy with the collection. Seeing the finished fabrics and then putting the book together was such a proud moment, the fact that our book is now held in some of the most prestigious places in the UK and Internationally has been such a thrill!
- Where is design & art heading?
We are continually excited and inspired by all forms of Art and Design, we hope the current movement towards supporting independent designers and sustainable practices will continue! The quality and sustainability of our fabric and products is paramount, we always use the highest quality materials that are sourced as locally as possible, we print using environmentally friendly, water based inks, and our products are handmade by local seamstresses.
- What’s wrong with design?
Any design that is elitist or over precious is disappointing, we feel that good design is life enhancing and should be accessible to all.
- Who do you think are the most influential artists & designers in recent years?
Phillipe Stark, Issey Miyake, Thomas Hetherwick, Hussain Chalayan, Nathalie Du Pasquier.
- What artists and designers have inspired you in your lifetime?
Eley Kishimoto, Henri Matisse, Howard Hodgkin, Keith Haring, Marimekko.
- What would be your best destination in the world?
Italy. We spent our first summer together travelling from north to south and have spent so many happy times returning over the years. We love everything about the country, especially their passion for life and the food!
- Stuck on a desert island, three things that you couldn’t be without?
Emma and our two kids, but if they are already there then coffee, my running trainers and a radio!
- What is your favourite colour & why?
We love all bright and bold colours but I always come back to red, especially when combined with other clashing shades - our hot pink and red fabrics are a real favourite, as The World of Interiors said - our work radiates optimism, we think everyone should add more colour into their lives!
Click here to see the New Sunny Todd Prints Collection X ZigZagZurich
