WILLOW KEMP

What is it like to work in the family business with your mother and sister?

It feels very natural.  We all have our strengths and our own areas within the business.  We also work on different floors in the Design Studio, which helps. The design studio is a townhouse near the V&A Museum in South Kensington in London.  It’s a vibrant and buzzy creative hub and I feel inspired as soon as I walk in the door.

Tell us about the Private Art Walks you host in both London and New York in your role as Art Ambassador at Firmdale Hotels?

I’m passionate about art.  I feel it is what gives a room character and soul, and it is often the starting point for my design.  I catalogue all our artwork and help curate our art collection.  I love telling people the stories behind the art in our collection, weaving in the design of the spaces, which is what I do on my private art walks. I’ve been running Private Art Walks in London for a while now and they are so popular that we are launching a New York Art Walk at Warren Street Hotel in October. You can book to join us. We visit galleries nearby to see exhibitions too, so each art walk is different.  


What advice would you give to individuals wishing to pursue a career in art and design? 

Go and experience what is out there in galleries, hotels, restaurants, showrooms and keep a sketchbook of the things that speak to you.  In this way, you will really find out what you like and it will help you find your own style, your handwriting or signature.  Find a mentor and shadow them.  Do what you love and keep at it every day. 

What are you most proud of?

Working on new-build projects such as the Ham Yard Hotel and the Warren Street Hotel from start to finish.  It gives me such a buzz to see life in the spaces you have created, uniting people having fun.  I’m also proud of our attention to the smallest details from the Rik Rak bath products and packaging I designed, to the Bag for Life I spot on the arm of people out and about on the streets, to the fun and quirky Doodle china collection I designed for Spode.  It’s those small things that makes an experience feel personal.

How did you discover the Marfa Stance? 

When I was installing the Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca.  It is often colder on a building site than outside and that’s saying something in the winter in New York!  I was walking around the block on a break and came across the Marfa Stance pop-up space a few doors down.  The designs immediately attracted my attention with their innovative approach and style.  They also looked cosy! 

How do you style your Marfa Stance and what is your favourite combination?

The Marfa Stance design approach has many similarities to interior design, combining fabrics, colours, textures and the attention to detail, adding a contrast trim, piping, and lining.  I can see many parallels in our design ethos and values, from sustainability to personal expression and that is what draws me to the brand.  I love my Wool Quilt Patchwork Liner with a turquoise panel at the back that matches the colour of the Warren Street Hotel façade I chose. I add the Knit Hood for contrast in material and texture. The Aviator is fab, especially with that extra pop of colour with the Striped Collar turned up.  The added features look great, but also serve a purpose and that’s the mark of successful design.