Based in Titirangi, Auckland, Katie Smith is a self-taught textile designer and founder of Smitten Design. Katie grew up to the creative pulse of the 1970s, inspired by her bohemian parents and domestic nostalgic ephemera. Her style inspiration began by sifting through charity shop fabrics, finding superior weaves and designs. Shortly after discovering her personal skill in print screening and textile design, Katie completed an MA in Textile Art at Goldsmiths University in London. Katie uses translucent, water-based ink to paint and layer batches of colours onto linen fabric, know for its deep texture and graceful maturation over time. Her nurtured creative process produces handmade, sustainable textile products for the home and everyday use.
“In my own practice, many years on, this remains at the core of my business ethos: quality over quantity, carefully curated colours that change and evolve subtly, and run against the prevailing tide of mass consumption.”