Versatile young designer, Katherine McLean, a Surface Pattern Design Graduate from Staffordshire University, whom came away with a First Class Honours degree, creates contemporary designs from a variety of sources of inspiration.
She often starts with hand drawn elements whether that be through painting or collage which she then takes into CAD to produce her digital prints, for any end purpose.
Within her graduate project ‘A Mosaic of Shapes’, inspired by a trip to Barcelona with its variety of architecture, colour and shape was explored through different sized collage compositions. To push her designs further texture and line was added to create a more dynamic collection. Resulting in fashion prints with a vibrant punchy colour palette and bold use of scale.
Katherine has used her knowledge gained from her work placements at fashion print studio Owens and Kim and at White Stuff design department to develop her own work, when creating fashion prints. Most recently, she undertook an internship at JRC London, where she worked with the design team producing fashion prints for their clients and collection. To expand her versatility, Katherine has also completed industry standard live briefs from Hallmark and W'innovate/Wilko's.
All the work that Katherine produces has a sophisticated, high end feel revealing the passion and time that she puts in to her work to produce the best designs possible.
Katherine’s ‘A Mosaic of Shapes’ collection exhibited at Show and Tell Degree Show at Staffordshire University which opened 2nd June to the 10th June 2017 and New Designers Part 1 from 28th June to the 1st July 2017 at the Business Design Centre, in London, on stand T50.
Katherine was one of five shortlisted designers from 180 entries in FESPA Printeriors 2018 Design Competition. The brief of the competition was to design patterns for an airport lounge of the future 2030. Her designs are now to be exhibited at Printeriors 2018 in Berlin, Germany from 15th to the 18th May 2018, which is visited by more than 20,000 people.
In 2020, Katherine through a desire to have a creative career, decided to embark on her biggest challenge yet, to open her own Etsy Store, KMcLeanDesign. She sells a range of Art Prints using her graphical, contemporary style as her unique selling point. In April 2021, Katherine was approached by a new gift online retailer, Cactus and Chilli, who wanted to stock her Art prints. This led her to venturing into wholesaling.
For any commissions or enquiries contact Katherine via katherinemclean.design@gmail.com