Homegirl London pays homage to Rosa and Clara Designs. This business is owned by designer Jessica Hayman who produces a range of British made homeware products – lampshades, tea towels and coasters. She also makes paper goods – greeting cards, wrapping paper, gift tags and notebooks. Jessica is inspired by her fabulous flea market finds – retro coffee cups, spice jars and vintage perfume bottles. Architecture and mid-century modern design patterns also feature in her work. I caught up with Jessica to find out more about Rosa and Clara Designs.
Parfum Bottle Card
Meet the Rosa and Clara Designs Owner
Jessica started out as a lawyer, a career which lasted ten years. She tells me – “Designing has always been part of my life. I’ve been making lampshades, cushions, screen printed textiles and cards for a long time. After having my two girls (Rosa and Clara – hence the business name!), I had a re-evaluation of what I wanted from my working life. I realised that setting up my own creative business was what I would love to do. After taking courses in digital textile design and textile printing, I took the plunge and launched the business in 2013.”
Jessica Hayman
Being her own boss was certainly a challenge for Jessica – “It has been a steep learning curve. Being responsible for designing is one thing but then there’s the marketing, PR, accounts, admin and everything else. There’s no chance of ever being bored!” Jessica works pretty much alone from her home studio in East Dulwich although she does get help from friends and family when needed.
Rosa and Clara Designs Collection
Jessica’s passion for flea markets is evident in her designs – “I love trawling round flea markets in England and France. The recent tea towel collection was born out of my flea market finds. One design features retro-style coffee cups (inspired by my collection of mid-century crockery) and the other features vintage spice jars. The ‘Parfum’ wrapping paper and cards were also a result of flea market treasures – I found some 1930s magazines in Normandy with beautiful adverts for eau de toilette and toothpaste.”
Vintage Spice Jars and Coffee Cups Tea Towels
Other designs are inspired by architecture. Being based in South London, Jessica has a collection with Georgian townhouses, pie houses and pawnbrokers of Camberwell and Peckham. These drawings feature on greeting cards, notebooks and sticky tape. Other designs include Flemish and Parisian townhouses plus patisserie delights.
South London Townhouses Card
Flemish Townhouses Coaster
Mid-century modern design is something Jessica feels drawn towards. “My lampshade collection includes Mid Century Moment and Triangles. These use muted colour palettes with pops of brighter colour.”
Mid Century Moment Lampshade
Triangles Lamp Shade
All of the products are manufactured or printed in the UK. Jessica only uses FSC certified board for her paper products. Most of the products are actually handmade by Jessica like the lampshades.
Buy Rosa and Clara Designs Products
For more information visit the website at Rosa and Clara Designs. Jessica will be launching her own online store later this year. Jessica offers a textile design service and also makes bespoke lampshades and cushions.
To give you an idea about price points – cards are £2.50, notebooks £4.50, wrapping paper £4.50 for two sheets, sticky tape £6, tea towels £10, coasters £13.50 for four and lampshades £35-65.
Author: Homegirl London. Photography: Yeshen Venema. Thanks: Jessica Hayman. Disclosure:
