Perpetual Exploration

London-based celebrated designer Bethan Gray talks about her upcoming collection for Milan Design Week, her inspirations, and what she looks for in collaborators.

My lifelong passion for travel has fuelled my deep fascination with global art and culture. I find exploring places and artistic traditions fires my creativity, and that I often gain inspiration for my collections while travelling.

Through my collaborations and my own rich cultural heritage, I have always blended modern creativity with traditional craftsmanship. I come from an ancient Rajasthani clan that migrated across Arabia and Persia centuries ago. With my designs, I strive to bring together the threads of the world, craftspeople, and my heritage.

While I strive to push boundaries, I always follow my ethos of using high-quality materials and expert craftsmanship to create elegant, enduring, and functional designs. Design has allowed me to meet people from all over the world, and it is this kinship and respect for different cultures and crafts that drive and inspire me the most.

During Milan Design Week this June, I will be showcasing my new collection, Inky Dhow, at Rosanna Orlandi’s Gallery. It will consist of furniture, textiles, rugs, hand-blown glass, and ceramics; statement pieces created through collaborations with like-minded craftspeople and creatives from across the world. The designs are an evolution of my Dhow pattern that I first drew inspiration from six years ago during my trip to Oman. I was mesmerised by the movement of the billowing sails of the dhows, the traditional Omani sailing ships, and the way the sunlight created beautiful, dappled patterns when the sails rippled in the breeze.