Working as a textile designer Pippa Oostergetel desperately wanted to design her own products. So two and a half years ago she did just that, launching her fashion accessories and homewares label Squeak, and producing the exact designs and products she had always wanted to find in store.
Starting with just a small range of silk scarfs things quickly grew, with Pippa adding cashmere scarves, handbags, clutches, dressing gowns, tea towels and our favourites, her cushions and quilts. All playing with colour, texture and most importantly print, the designs are digitally printed onto natural fibres, making the products just as lovely to touch as they are to look at.
Her recently launched Spring Summer ’16 collection is no exception, with the designs continuing to play with beautiful patterns, but this time, with more sophistication. “I’ve learned so much during the first couple of years of running my own business and I feel as Squeak’s grown, so have my designs, and this collection is certainly more adult… I feel so grown up! With this collection I certainly explore a bit deeper with the product design, not making everything just about the textile patterns. My bags have a lot more bells and whistles and my cushions have added luxuries such as velvet backings and genuine leather piping.”
However, her favourite product is her colourful, hand stitched quilts, which have beautiful velvet reverses, making them amazing to curl up in. “The quilts for me are a sign of the quality and style I have always wanted for Squeak. So often you spend so long looking at your designs that in the end you no longer like them anymore, you’re sick of them. But my quilts are an example of one of the few times you look at your products and say: ‘nailed it!’ They’re what I’ve always wanted and I wouldn’t change anything about them.”
Designing everything herself, the textile patterns are always at the forefront of Pippa’s mind. Often using her own photographs when it comes to producing her prints, you can’t always see them, but they are likely the base of the design. “Nine times out of 10 there will be a photograph in the design somewhere. It may not be obvious, but sometimes they’re just there to add texture. So I often start designing just by playing with my images.”
With her collection now available, Pippa is already one step ahead, with next year’s offering well in the works. “I’ve got another range of cushion covers and quilts coming out early next year. I also of course have more bags. In this next range I’m really playing with metallics a bit more. After that, well, you’ll have to wait and see.”
Photography by Martina Gemmola | Styling by Paige Anderson
