Catherine Murray is the Design Director for Bute Fabrics. Based on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, the company designs and produces upholstery fabrics with an emphasis on colour, texture and performance.
I live on the island and I’m usually at work by 7.30am. The mill starts work an hour before at 6.30am – years ago it was a very hot one summer so the workers asked to start early and finish at 4pm – but 7.30am is early enough for me.
Starting early means you can get things done before the phone starts ringing. I check my emails and then usually do a tour of the mill, to see what’s going through and if there are any problems. It’s good to see what’s happening. We might also have some samples or new fabrics weaving.
I like to work on into the evening to 6.30 or 7.30pm, so I can get things done in the peace and quiet. Of course, if there are exhibitions to prepare for, or samples to weave, it might be later, or weekends.
The mill employees are a great bunch and they love to hear what we’re up to on the design side. Because we are a fairly small mill, on the one site, I can keep in touch with what is happening in production.
No day is ever the same. I love the variety. It’s dealing with whatever comes up. Some-times there may be weaving or dyeing yarn, CADs, checking new fabrics or yarn calcula-tions. If we’re doing an exhibition then there is the designing of the stand, and the planning and logistics. It’s very hands-on. I’m here on site and not remote. I like to follow things through.
We are based in a very rural location. The island has a variety of beautiful scenery. It inspires me. I don’t feel I miss out not being in London. Glasgow is not far away and is a lively city with lots going on. When people come to visit the mill, they are amazed at the setting as well as the care and attention which goes into making the fabrics.
The things I like least are all the mathematical calculations, such as weights of yarn required for new fabrics, and for costings.
At Bute I began working partly in product and part in design. Over the years my responsibilities have changed, and so has the company. The UK side of the business, and our Bute Collection has grown, and we are introducing more fabrics every year. Clients change colour schemes more often, rather than just when a fabric wears out, so want to see new ideas.
I suppose the longer I have been here, the more I have become involved in other areas of the business. So now I’m delegating some of the practical work like hand weaving, supervising production samples being woven, and working up weaves on CAD.
When I started, in 1988, everything was either charcoal, peat, or parrot green, it was really quite predictable. People are these days much more aware of design and fashion. If we’re doing a special custom colour, then I might hand-dye samples.
I’ve still got a hand loom. I call it my sketch book. It is a great way to try out ideas initially, without stopping production.
I love colour and texture, and love to handle fabric. It still inspires me.
We work with external designers, such as Tom Dixon, Barber Osgerby and Timorous Beasties. I manage that process. It depends on what they are looking for, but they come up to the mill and see our capabilities, and what we have done before, and we develop ideas from there. It’s also good to be challenged.
I would recommend weave design as a career option to anyone who gets exciting about texture and colour. It’s fulfilling to see a fabric evolve from an idea and follow its route through production.
Catherine Murray is Design Director at Bute Fabrics and she produces the company's own designs and manages its collaborations with designers like Tom Dixon and Timorous Beasties