In print

From painterly strokes to graphic lines, Emma Hayes’ work is inspired by nature

- Leanne Moore

Living in the city, Auckland-based designer Emma Hayes is in her element. Her commute to work is a few steps downstairs to her studio, where she designs painterly collections of wall coverings and textiles that are sold around the world. Inspiration for her designs, however, comes from an utterly different perspective. When it comes to firing up her imagination, Emma turns to the great outdoors. “Spending time in nature fuels me creatively. The colours I use in my designs are directly linked to the landscapes I see around me,” she says.

Like many New Zealanders, living overseas gave Emma a renewed appreciation of this country’s natural beauty. When she arrived back from London in 2006, she landed a job designing textiles for fashion label Cybele. The role gave her the opportunity to take a concept right through from design to marketing. Emma thrived in this end-to-end creative environment and the experience gave her the confidence to launch her own business in 2011. “I was ready for a change and I could see a gap in the lifestyle market for beautiful textiles.”

These days, she combines running an internationally successful design house with raising triplets, seven-year-old boys Quinn, Louie and Remi. It’s a busy life, but Emma thrives on the challenge.

What’s your background?

I went to art school in Auckland and my first job in a design studio showed me it was possible to marry fine arts with commerce. That was incredibly inspiring. While I was in London I studied at Central Saint Martins, where Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and John Galliano are all past students. That was an amazing experience and, combined with London’s vibrant cultural hub, had a lasting influence on me as a designer.