Recently I came across a collaborative home textiles studio NoMoreTwist based in Brussels, whose works are all focused on weaving and exploration of thread qualities. Their collections are born while studying the thickness, colours and textures of threads and their interaction with each other.
I am impressed by the way these designers approach weaving, creating ombre blending of colours, intricate geometric patterns and even slightly psychedelic look, especially in their collection ‘Histoires naturelles’. This collection was inspired by the patterns found in nature, these tiny fractals that blended into their works so smoothly. I just love it! And what’s more, NoMoreTwist does great photo-shoots for their collections with all the right mood and perfect surroundings.
NoMoreTwist unites three designers, Marie Beguin, Anne de Prémare and Michèle Populer, and this is what they say about their creative process while working together:
What is special about your collaborative design studio?
Our productions are a homogeneous fusion from 3 contrasted personalities, a kind of symbiosis. We are all 3 designers, specialized in weaving, we got that in common. Our inspirations, backgrounds, sensibilities are completely various. Our collections reflect this alchemy.
What inspires you individually and how do you combine all of that together?
Inspirations come from everywhere around and each of us have their very specific’s. It is very inspiring to discuss together and to discover inspirations of each one. They come from fine arts, the history of textiles, travel, nature, new technology…
How we put all that together is a mysterious recipe, the ingredients are always different. Each one of us is moved in different ways by the themes that we define together. The weaving experimentations of one of us inspire a pattern idea or a colour palette to another.
How does your creative process look like? Describe your typical day in the studio.
The loom doesn’t allow a collective work, it’s so not often that we meet all together in the studio. When it happens we make it nice and pleasant. We drink a lot of tea, and we brainstorm about all the work we did individually. We make video conference every week, and share all our inspirations and creations on a private mood board online.
What do you like the most about working collaboratively?
Working collaboratively is very dynamising! We learn a lot from the others. 3 associates, it is also 3 creative propositions. Our collections are never the reflection of what we imagine individually at first. It is always surprising and we like that!
The aspect of support and motivation that the collaborative work bring to us is also very important. It is sometime difficult but at the same time very stimulating to be confronted to the criticism of our partners. A big sorting is done on the ideas that emerge to keep only the best of the best.
What advice would you give to fresh designers, artists and makers?
Getting into the adventure of self-editing, as we did, is really exciting. This allows us to create exactly according to our desires. But of course, there are a lot of constraints.
We do not think that a project of this size can be developed alone … It must be surrounded, confronted to criticism, confronted to the need of the market…
And one last tip, do not scatter your ideas, focus on one thing, that you are doing the best! For us it is the key of success. In this manner, the project stands out!
To learn more about this creative collective please visit their website and Facebook page. All the images used in this post are the property of NoMoreTwist.
