Timorous Beasties

Timorous Beasties is a design led manufacturing company based in Glasgow, who specialise in fabrics and wallpapers. Timorous Beasties was founded in 1990 by Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons.[1] Winners of the Walpole Award for 'Best Emerging British Luxury Brand' in 2007[2][3] and 'British Luxury Design Talent' in 2010,[4][5] they have branded showrooms in London and Glasgow, and export their luxury products and design talent worldwide.

Company Profile

Timorous Beasties studio mixes design and production under one roof allowing them the freedom to create their own unique style, their fabrics catching the eye of museum collections such as the V&A (London),[6] Cooper-Hewitt Museum (New York), and Gallery of Modern Art (Scotland). Whilst Timorous Beasties specialise in printed fabrics and wallpapers, they also work in a wide range of disciplines ranging from graphics, furniture, products, ceramics, carpets, glass and interiors that fit all areas.

In 2005 Timorous Beasties were nominated for ‘Designer of the Year’ by the Design Museum,[7] and were commissioned in 2006 to design the window display for the Wellcome Trust, London.[8] The display consisted of Mosquito nets woven with large mosquitoes, patterns on lamps made from molecules, and a large lighting structure in the shape of DNA made of lamps.

They are known for their take on the Toile de Jouy fabrics of Napoleonic France, Timorous Beasties’ toile designs include a balance of decorative, architectural, and human contexts. Through reference to images of the cityscape, they have articulated an exclusively urban genre.[9] Focusing on the under-belly of urban social realism. Their controversial Edinburgh Toile design was featured on the cover of the Edinburgh Festival 2009 brochure.[10]

In 2007 Timorous Beasties were winners of the prestigious Walpole award for ‘Best Emerging Brand’ and again in 2010 Timorous Beasties were awarded ‘Best Luxury Design Talent’ at the Walpole 2010 awards in London. The award recognises designers that have maintained the highest standard of British design talent through innovation, design and product quality during the year. Past winners include Rolls-Royce, Louis Vuitton, Paul Smith amongst others.[11] In 2010 Timorous Beasties were also awarded the ‘ICFF Editors Award’ for the best wallcoverings for the 4th time! The award is among the industry’s highest accolades and is judged by a panel of respected U.S. and international editors in the field of contemporary furnishings.[12]

Recently they have produced two collections of hand tufted carpets and rugs for Brintons Carpets,[13] engraved a building and collaborated with brands such as Nike and Famous Grouse. More recently Timorous Beasties have collaborated with design duo ‘Nobody and Co’ on a revolving tablecloth, designed wallpaper for the Chicago Art Institute and exhibited at Sheffield’s Millennium Galleries with a Ruskin inspired installation.[14]

References

  1. ↑ The Guardian 08/02/2007, Jeffries, Stuart The Writhing on the Wall London
  2. ↑ Walpole Awards 2007, Walpole British Luxury www.thewalpole.co.uk , 19/11/2007, date retrieved 29/04/2011
  3. ↑ The Daily Record 20/12/2007, Dingwall, John The 100 Hottest Scots: The Men Scotland
  4. ↑ The Walpole Awards for Excellence 2010, Walpole British Luxury www.thewalpole.co.uk 15/11/2010, date retrieved 29/04/2011
  5. ↑ The Herald 20/11/2010, Sharp, Jim Tim Sharp's Business Diary Scotland
  6. ↑ V&A Museum Collection: Large Eel, V&A Museum www.vam.ac.uk date retrieved 29/04/2011
  7. ↑ The Guardian 14/01/2005, Roux, Caroline Shortlisted Fabric Swaps Maidens for Addicts London
  8. ↑ Exciting art in the windows of the Wellcome Trust headquarters at 215 Euston Road London, Wellcome Trust www.wellcome.ac.uk 01/11/2005, date retrieved 29/04/2011
  9. ↑ The Guardian 08/02/2007, Jeffries, Stuart The Writhing on the Wall London
  10. ↑ The Scotsman 26/03/2009, Cornwell, Tim and Macdonnell, Hamish Welcome to Nedinburgh...programme shows off capital's seedier side Scotland
  11. ↑ The Walpole Awards for Excellence 2010, Walpole British Luxury www.thewalpole.co.uk 15/11/2010, date retrieved 29/04/2011
  12. ↑ ICFF Editors Awards, International Contemporary Furniture Fair www.icff.com 16/05/2010, date retrieved 29/04/2011
  13. ↑ Brintons unveil latest Timorous Beasties collaboration, Sleeper Magazine.com www.sleepermagazine.co.uk 09/09/2010, date retrieved 29/04/2011
  14. ↑ 30 April 2009 Design Week 24(17): 36

External links

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