Caroline Lindsell and Dylan O’Shea were on a three-month excursion in South America when the couple was inspired by the colors and patterns crafted by local weavers. At the time, O’Shea was working for Education for All, bringing used school furniture to developing countries. Lindsell, having grown “a little jaded and disillusioned” with the fashion industry (she had designed for Abercrombie & Fitch and Flex Apparel), wanted to make things “that had meaning and longevity,” she says. Textiles and rugs proved “much more fulfilling.”
After their trip, they founded their London-based studio A Rum Fellow, named for the Old English meaning of the word rum, describing something “peculiar or strange,” O’Shea explains. “We love to seek out artisans in lesser-trodden places and to work with less common techniques.” Their first commission was bespoke textiles upholstered on a set of dining chairs. “We designed a colorful contemporary take on Peruvian motifs, and had them woven by traditional methods by Quechua weavers in the Sacred Valley of Peru,” Lindsell says. Today, she serves as creative director, while O’Shea, as director, handles the business outside of design. “[A Rum Fellow] was founded on our individual passions and interests,” he explains. “At the heart of it is our collaboration, which keeps pushing forward and evolving the work we produce.”
Panan Stripe, Izapa Knotted rug, Huala and Izapa brocades
Success over the past eight years has included Kit Kemp’s use of their brocades in the headboards at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York. “The fabrics have a vibrant and beautiful crafted quality that really add character to the space,” O’Shea says. Among their latest, the Palomar brocade features a complex pattern that pushes the boundaries with Maya backstrap weaving. And just last month, Lindsell and O’Shea launched Ocosito, handwoven on a treadle floor loom, with fabric and wallpaper manufacturer Schumacher’s hospitality team.
As the couple gears up for a new collection launch in spring 2021 they’re simply trying to create “colorful, patterned designs that bring a little joy,” Lindsell adds.
This article originally appeared in HD’s December 2020 issue.
