THE DESIGNER'S MIND

Kit Kemp sheds some light on her creative process, with an introduction by acting editorial director Pip McCormac

- JO BAILEY

Kit Kemp is a powerhouse of design ideas. Her day job may be as creative director of Firmdale Hotels, overseeing the look and style of 10 hotels, but her vision extends well beyond the ostentatious bedheads she is famous for. As an author, public speaker and blogger, she fills her audience with a belief that they, too, can throw out the rulebook and pair seemingly mismatched patterns (don’t be fooled, however, there is plenty of method to what she does), and that they can bring a bit of colour and verve to their lives. It’s this sense of fun and abandonment that has seen so many other brands lining up to work with her, hoping to harness her talents for themselves. As we discovered when working together on this issue, she is a dream collaborator, able to see the whole and the micro, delighting in new ideas.