Founder and designer of Nine Muses Textiles is Tigger Hall. A close friend of ours, she is known as one of Australia’s most eclectic and interesting fabric designers and we are totally mesmerised by her charming and painterly prints. Her work is classical, playful and artistic. We are delighted to introduce you to Tigger as we ‘Meet The Maker’.

How did you get into textile design?

I began my adult life in fashion, making haute couture clothing and wedding dresses. Many of which I hand painted with large bunches of flowers and then embroidered over. From there, I moved into interior design and so began my true passion for interior textiles. Travel has been such a wonderful teacher. After returning from trips to India and Turkey, I began painting some small designs which I could see would make beautiful textile designs. I started and simply couldn’t stop, the textile line must have always been in me because it just flowed out – that was the beginning. Painting is my passion so to be able to incorporate painting into a textile line is a dream.

How would you describe your style? 

My style is painterly and uninhibited, imbued with inspiration from travel and history. My 2021 Collection is full of botanicals as I feel we have all leaned into gardening and nurturing indoor plants during the past few years.

Do you have a favourite design and if so, why?

I love Antique Indienne. It makes me smile every time I see it. It was painted from a fragment of an old Indian textile I found. The true colours of India are in this design.

What colour tones do you like to work with the most? 

At the moment my palette is more on the subtle side with beautiful copper tones, soft pinks and greys. Scheming in the same hues and tones is important in my design work. I have my colours printed on colour blankets, which I use as my paint palette. The colours are selected specifically so harmony is created in a design and amongst the wider collection.

Can you take us through your design process?

I start with little sketches of the design which I hand paint, not worrying about the colours that come later. I then upload the design and create a pattern repeat. My process is very organic. Next, I print copies of the new design and use watercolours to work out the numerous colour combinations. The scan of the original is then sent to the printer who works on the designs and colour schemes to create the textile line. Using natural pure fabrics is important to me, particularly in today’s world where sustainability is so important. The linen we use is produced in one of the greenest mills in the world and the digital printing is done on a printing machine where the ink is recycled with nothing going to the waste.

You can follow Tigger Hall @tigger_hall_design and @ninemusestextiles on Instagram.

Here at our Design Studio, we are in awe of Tigger’s designs. In apartment 6 at One Denman Place we have used Tigger’s ‘Primula Medallion’ design for the headboard which takes centre stage.

We are currently scheming for our upcoming hotel at Warren Street in Tribeca, New York and we can’t wait to use the new collection from Nine Muses. Watch this space for more painterly prints by Tigger!