Wrap yourself in silken stones

May 18, 2011 6:28 PM

Richard Weston is not only a professor of architecture at Cardiff University. He is now a fashion designer. Being interviewed by Vogue. Beautiful Weston silk scarves printed with scans of minerals, fossils and stones are now on sale at London's historic department store Liberty.

It all came about thanks to a new BBC2 show called The Next Big Thing hosted by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis of Dragon's Den fame. Four large British retailers in search of unique new products opened their doors to designers, artists and... professors.
The scarves and the show are a hit not only according to Vogue, but also The Independent, makeitdigital, and The Arts Desk.

In the Vogue interview, Weston says his students are still struggling with his new-found fashion status. "I suspect most are bemused - a middle-aged, overweight professor with higgledy-piggledy teeth is the antithesis of designer-stereotypes."

posted by likeso (5 comments total)

Learn more about the process and see more images at Weston's website Naturally Exclusive

(and you can win a Weston scarf from Liberty on Facebook)
posted by likeso at 7:01 PM on May 18, 2011

Huh. I have a similar scarf my father brought back from an ASM convention (the tie has the correct image, but doesn't do it justice. Lovely blues, blacks, purples, and oranges.) Good to know that makes me a la mode.
posted by maryr at 7:14 PM on May 18, 2011

Those are beautiful. This reminds me that I had been meaning for awhile try printing off some silk at Spoonflower and attempting to not butcher it putting in a rolled hem.
posted by wreckingball at 7:42 PM on May 18, 2011

I'm so pleased this happened for him. He was the best thing about that show.
posted by Nossidge at 1:34 AM on May 19, 2011

At those prices, Hermes has nothing to worry about. Pay the extra and get the very best.
posted by Goofyy at 11:44 AM on May 19, 2011