School of Design Textile Design
Katie McConnach
As a textile designer, I am drawn to the raw, tactile qualities of worn surfaces and evolving materials. Across both my main project Elegant Decay and my complementary project, I explore texture, imperfection, and transformation through textiles and three-dimensional forms. Using natural dyes, eco-pigments, and repurposed materials, I have created pieces for interior use – from wall coverings and soft furnishings to sculptural objects.
My practice blends traditional techniques such as marbling and natural dyeing with experimental processes, always guided by a commitment to sustainability and thoughtful material choices. I aim to challenge conventional ideas of beauty by celebrating irregularity, erosion, and the unexpected outcomes that emerge through making.
Elegant Decay
In a world obsessed with perfection, this project seeks beauty in what is often overlooked – the weathered, the worn, and the eroded. It challenges conventional ideals by embracing texture, irregularity, and the subtle elegance of natural formations shaped through change.
The research began with photographs of decaying buildings in Venice, capturing the interplay between structure and deterioration. This concept of “elegant decay” has informed both the visual direction and material choices throughout the project.
I have explored natural dyeing, marbling, screen and digital printing on silk, linen, wool, and velvet. The outcomes include textile samples, curated colour palettes, and digital visualisations – forming a collection for interior use: wall coverings, upholstery, soft furnishings, and unique statement pieces.
To ensure responsible design, I use eco-pigments, natural dyes, modifiers, and carefully selected materials. The process balances traditional techniques with experimentation, embracing the beauty of imperfection in both concept and craft.
Extending Design: Reflective Encounters – Complementary Project
This sculptural project extends the themes of my main work, Elegant Decay, by exploring texture, form, and material transformation through tactile, three-dimensional outcomes. Inspired by my photographs of decaying buildings and terrazzo tiles in Venice, the work captures the organic qualities of erosion and the subtle changes surfaces undergo over time.
I created a series of sculptural objects using sustainable and repurposed materials, including plaster, eco-resin, natural pigments, and waste from textiles and construction.
The outcomes – tiles, cubes, and fluid forms – are designed for use as wall lights, styling objects, or material palettes. This project prioritises responsible design through conscious material choices and the reuse of waste. It embraces imperfection as both a process and an aesthetic, reflecting the natural beauty of decay, erosion, and transformation.
