IT IS HARD NOT TO COVET Catherine Tough's creations, combining as they do a luxurious feel and a sense of fun. They are simply and subtly designed and made from highest quality yarns. Much of their impact comes from the contrasts that can be found in single items and ensembles of her pieces. These contrasts are achieved through her use of unexpected colour combinations and the differing textures of fine cashmere and chunky hand knit lambswool. Her signature 3-d felting and padding techniques, developed during her time at the RCA, reinforce the pattern and simplicity of her work.

Catherine grew up in the Worcestershire countryside – her first love was her pony – then moved to London to study. She now lives in Hackney and draws inspiration from the contrasts between her rural childhood and the vibrant mix of cultures, fabrics, demeanour and dress sense she now encounters every day. Visiting her husband’s family in Trinidad threw the bright, sunny colours of the beach into this mix of the urban and rural, and showed her how lovely things can be conjured from almost nothing at all. The overall look of her work is also strongly influenced by graphic art, ranging from supermarket packaging and graffiti to the manga comics of Togashi Koshihiro and Tazuka Osamu.