Antonia Claudie: Redefining Sustainable Textile Design
- LB
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Words: Lara Baker
Photography: Alice Rausch
Antonia Claudie has just returned from a trip to Paris when she joins the Zoom. It’s a quick call though, she’s heading to Denmark tomorrow - I am lucky to have managed to catch her in time.
Darting around Europe is becoming more frequent for Antonia.
She is becoming a household name for interior designers and the wider interior industry alike; her brand and most importantly her unique products are gathering momentum and serious attention.
“We’ve never seen anything like this” is a phrase, she tells me, that was repeated to her during her trip to Paris, where she launched her new collection. “The feedback was incredible - people were genuinely intrigued and excited by the concept. There’s a story behind my work,” she reflects.
Establishing a Name in Contemporary Interiors
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Jacket, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Norton & Sons - Trousers, £750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Breitling - Watch, £3,700, breitling.com
At her core, Antonia is a textile designer, but scratch below the surface and you will discover her talents extend to scientist, creative visionary, and an environmental champion.
There is no need for elaboration - her dyed, silk textiles are simply beautiful and full of innovation.
“Paris Déco Off, where I launched the collection is the biggest interiors event of the year, and to get the feedback I did really feels like I have established myself...”
The collection she launched in Paris had been months in the works - painstakingly perfected alongside the wisdom and guidance of her distributor Chase Erwin.
It is a catalysing moment for Antonia, as “Paris Déco Off, where I launched the collection is the biggest interiors event of the year, and to get the feedback I did really feels like I have established myself”.
The Chase Erwin Partnership
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Jacket, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Norton & Sons - Trousers, £750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Breitling - Watch, £4,100, breitling.com
The partnership she has forged with her new distributor Chase Erwin has been instrumental in propelling her work over the last year.
“Chase Erwin have been crucial in shaping the collection, as they wanted to ensure it would resonate with their interior design clients. Because everything is handmade, Chase Erwin only share samples with designers who have a project in mind for my products - it makes the process far more efficient,” Antonia explains.
This curated approach was not new to her though, as after working at their showroom she already had a relationship with them and understood their values.
“This has helped our partnership really blossom,” Antonia describes with a smile.
Silk as Art: Craft, Science and Innovation
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Jacket, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Breitling - Watch, £8,550, breitling.com
Her relationship with Chase Erwin only tells part of the story. It’s Antonia’s stunning work that’s put her on the map.
Her silk textiles are entirely bespoke, made with such care and detail that they feel more like artwork than material.
“I wrapped fabric around old nails - even a giant, rusty propeller - and started to see how these unexpected objects could leave the most intricate patterns...”
“They can be used for lampshades, wallpaper, wall hangings - even clothing,” she says, her excitement evident.
All her dyes are natural, such as rust or walnut husks, and as she walks me through how the patterns form on the silk, it’s genuinely fascinating. There’s a delicate balance at play here: part science, part instinct, all creativity.
Discovering the Technique During Lockdown
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Three Piece Suit, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Breitling - Watch, £3,700, breitling.com
Studying fashion originally, and then following up with a Bachelors in Textile Design at Central Saint Martins in London, it wasn’t until the Covid lock-down that she discovered her extraordinary technique for the dyeing process.
Stranded in the UK, unable to return to Copenhagen due to the travel restrictions, she stayed with a friend in rural Wales, where she observed rusted farm materials, and began to experiment with rust and other organic materials like onions skins.
“I wrapped fabric around old nails - even a giant, rusty propeller - and started to see how these unexpected objects could leave the most intricate patterns,” she explains. The concept began to formulate in her head.
Perfecting a Sustainable Dyeing Process
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Jacket, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Breitling - Watch, £4,100, breitling.com
From here she refined the technique. “It has taken years to perfect. It is so important to ensure the metal is prepared correctly or the way the silk is wrapped and dyed,” Antonia describes with evident enthusiasm over her passion.
“I loved the process because it didn’t involve harsh chemicals or create any wastewater - it’s completely sustainable,” she says.
The refinement process was over, and she began to bring her work into the public eye. Curious about how the technique operates currently, Antonia details how she “starts with handwoven silk, specifically, peace silk, which is cruelty free as the silkworms are not boiled alive - they can complete their life cycle naturally.
“He said the silk was too tricky to work with - but he kindly referred me to my current supplier, who’s been amazing. I feel very lucky to have found them...”
“I then dye the silk with either herbs, or plant material which are in their whole form, and boiled to prepare the dye. Depending on the depth and richness of the colour I want, the dyeing process can take several dips, and sometimes between one and five days”.
It’s a painstaking process - one where even the smallest details can subtly alter the final colour. Reflecting on her recently launched collection, Antonia admits that finalising the palette was no easy feat. “There’s so much to test and tweak,” she says, “but it’s incredibly satisfying once it all comes together”.
And once the silk textiles are complete, another challenge begins: the paper backing. Given the delicate nature of silk, finding the right supplier was no small task. “The first supplier I contacted actually turned me down,” she recalls. “He said the silk was too tricky to work with - but he kindly referred me to my current supplier, who’s been amazing. I feel very lucky to have found them”.
Sustainability as a Non-Negotiable
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Jacket, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk
Antonia’s commitment to sustainability is woven into the very fabric of her work. From the beginning, she’s been clear that every stage of production must align with her values, even if that makes things more complicated.
“Sourcing the right silk - peace silk - was really important to me,” she explains. “But it meant looking further afield, because I couldn’t find a supplier in Europe who shared the same principles”.
“Even when I’ve been offered off-cuts at a fraction of the price, I’ve always said no. It’s non-negotiable”. In a world where sustainable choices often come with a higher price tag, her resolve is impressive.
Inspired by Biodiversity and Looking Ahead
Antonia wears - Norton & Sons - Jacket, £1,750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Norton & Sons - Trousers, £750, nortonandsons.co.uk; Breitling - Watch, £3,700, breitling.com
Given her commitment to protect the environment, it is little wonder that it also features as her biggest source of inspiration.
The collection launched in Paris, she tells me was “inspired by endangered butterfly wings - not just aesthetically, but conceptually. It’s about biodiversity loss and drawing attention to this through a subtle, beautiful medium”.
“I want my work to leave a lasting impact: visually, emotionally, and ethically…”
Antonia’s approach is multi-faceted, and her business acumen is strategic and informed; her alignment with Chase Erwin, will be a tour de force for building her brand and work; her textiles are a lesson in understatement and beauty; her method a clinical exhibition of how science, tradition and creativity can amalgamate in stunning style.
She’s on a remarkable path - and she’s fully aware of the responsibility that comes with it. “I think textiles can say a lot,” she reflects. “I want my work to leave a lasting impact: visually, emotionally, and ethically…”
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