Irish born designer-maker Katie Larmour trained as an applied artist at the University of Ulster’s School of Art and Design in Belfast. Her journey with Irish Linen started with her degree show in ceramic medium which was a delicate fusion of textiles and liquid porcelain slip and she has continued to work with this extraordinary fabric since. Her family heritage goes back to the French Huguenots who brought their new tools, techniques and artisan skills to firmly establish the linen industry in the North of Ireland in the 18 Century, seeing it rise to a become a world leader in textiles, it is to this tradition that Katie is adding her personal vision.

Katie creates exquisite and unique handcrafted cushions, each with a one-of-a-kind beauty. There are two strands to her work; a ‘contemporary heritage collection’ of luxury patchwork Irish Linen heirloom cushions, and a range of ‘vintage designer scarf cushions’ using rare and desirable precious silks, also backed with pure Irish Linen. Her signature hallmark is the use of oatmeal-toned undyed linen in the natural shade of the flax plant itself which she incorporates into all her pieces, along with sustainable materials and vintage elements. Her patchwork patterns are inspired by the old bleaching greens, a method of laying out strips of linen in fields under the sun, as well as minimalist block geometric shapes abstracted from Ireland’s rich tapestry of farmland.

In 2015, Katie exhibited her cushions in ‘A Year of Irish Design’ during Belfast’s first Design Week. Katie won a place representing the British European Design Group at New York Design Week in 2016, showcasing her craft internationally. Following this she collaborated with Heal’s of London producing an exclusive collection for their flagship store in 2017. Katie’s designs are currently available through such fashionable outlets as antique emporium 1stdibs.com; the Agresti concession in Harrods; Butchoff Fine Antiques on Kensington Church Street, just a stone’s throw away from Kensington Palace; and Brown Thomas, Dublin’s luxury department store, as part of their ‘Create’ project in 2018. She is soon to be featured as a ‘celebrated maker’ at the first ever Linen Biennale taking place in Northern Ireland later this year. Katie’s work has graced the front cover of House Beautiful magazine, described by The Irish Times as a ‘name to know’, featured in the Financial Times - How To Spend It supplement, and vintage scarf cushions in ‘Antiques & Home’ magazine multiple times. Her brand is also listed on the official website of the Irish Linen Guild as a certified “trusted and recommended” purveyor of Irish Linen goods.