Join us for a special in-conversation event celebrating the rich legacy of British textile design with renowned designer Sarah Campbell and curator Teresa Collenette, author of the new book Paint! Pattern! Print! The Textiles of Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell.
In this lively and insightful discussion, Sarah Campbell will reflect on her extraordinary creative partnership with her late sister Susan Collier, tracing their journey from girlhood to becoming one of the most influential textile duos of the 20th century. Together, they brought bold colour, expressive line, and painterly pattern into homes across Britain and beyond — collaborating with leading manufacturers and shaping the look of modern interiors for decades.
This new book offers an intimate and beautifully illustrated exploration of their studio practice, creative process, and enduring impact on contemporary design. Drawing on original sketches, archival photographs, and personal reflections, it captures the spirit of experimentation and joyful innovation that still defines Sarah’s work.
Expect an engaging evening of conversation as Sarah and Teresa discuss artistic collaboration, the evolution of print and pattern, and the stories behind some of Sarah’s most iconic designs and her continued creative output. There will be an opportunity for audience questions, and copies of Paint! Pattern! Print! will be available for purchase and signing.
Whether you are a design enthusiast, a student, or simply passionate about pattern and colour, this is a rare opportunity to hear first-hand from one of Britain’s most celebrated textile designers.
About the speakers
Sarah Campbell is an internationally acclaimed textile designer who, together with her late sister Susan Collier, founded and ran a groundbreaking and renowned design partnership, creating iconic motifs for some of the industry’s greatest names for more than 50 years. Love of pattern and colour and an inventive freshness are the hallmarks of her work. Since 2011 Sarah has worked on her own – making, teaching, writing, and continuing to paint designs on cloth and paper both for commercial production and to special commission. She is the author of Hand-Painted Textiles (Herbert Press), monographs The Art of Pattern and Dailies, and co-author, with Emma Shackleton, of The Collier Campbell Archive, Fifty Years of Passion in Pattern.
Teresa Collenette is a design historian (V&A/RCA History of Design MA) with a special interest in the material culture of scissors. Her 2018 exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum, The Secret Life of Scissors explored the complex lives of scissors as ambiguous ‘things’ surrounded by superstition, myth and symbolism. Teresa has worked on a number of Fashion and Textile Museum exhibitions including, Liberty in Fashion, 1920s Jazz Age, Night & Day: 1930s Fashion and Photographs, The World of Anna Sui, Zandra Rhodes: 50 Years of Fabulous, Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture and Kaffe Fassett: The Power of Pattern.
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Confirmation email: Once you have made a booking, you will receive a confirmation email detailing all the information you will need prior to your event, this is your event ticket. You will also receive a reminder email one week prior to your event.
Event details: Please check your confirmation email for the start and finish times of your event. Upon entry, please present your ticket(s) on your device or a note of your booking reference number. Exhibition entry is included in your ticket, you are welcome to view the exhibition before or after the event.
Eating and drinking: No food or drink is permitted in the Museum, other than bottled water. The Fashion and Textile Museum is located in the heart of Bermondsey Street, surrounded by award-winning restaurants, cafes and pubs. So, if you would like to enjoy a meal or a drink before or after your visit, there is plenty to choose from.For more information, check out our plan your visit page or our FAQs.