Sagrada Glass Print

I designed this print after the stained glass of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona and the gold of Gustav Klimt. I printed it on velvet because velvet holds colour more deeply than any fabric I work with, so the cobalt, peacock teal and violet shine like glass under evening light.

The four pieces

The Gaudi Teal Wrap Velvet Dress is the heart of the Love Gaudi collection and the fullest expression of the print. The Barcelona Velvet Maxi has a flared-sleeve silhouette with an asymmetrical neckline and artisanal tassel detail, built for old-world opulence. The Arte Velvet Jacket is reversible, with a second print inside — layer it over a shift dress or over denim. The Audrey Printed Velvet Pants are cropped and pair with the matching shirt, or with a plain white one.

Where to wear it

Velvet is cold-weather fabric, so this is my autumn and winter print. Fall and winter weddings, Diwali, Christmas and New Year parties, theatre and opening nights, any evening that deserves a coat check. The jacket and trousers make it wearable far beyond events — velvet trousers with a white shirt is one of the easiest good outfits there is.

Fabric and care

Velvet behaves differently from everything else I work with. The pile catches light from one direction and absorbs it from the other, which is why the same dress reads cobalt in one photograph and near-black in the next, and why the print looks lit from inside. It also means velvet needs a gentler hand than cotton. Dry clean is safest. If you press it, do it on the reverse with a cloth between the iron and the pile, or better still hang it in a steamy bathroom and let the creases drop out on their own. Store it hanging, never folded.

Made in a limited run

Printing on velvet is slower and less forgiving than printing on cotton, which is part of why these runs are small. They are not repeated. Sizes XS to 3XL, with made-to-measure available.