Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Behind the Design - Skinny laMinx

Good morning everyone.  I hope you all had a fabulous, long weekend!  Mine was very relaxing and filled with lots of college football, food and good company!  Let's start the week out with a peak into the world of Heather Moore, the creator behind Skinny laMinx.

Where does your inspiration come from?
It's hard to say exactly, but I do find that walking on Table Mountain (the great big mountain that looms over the city of Cape Town) always opens my eyes to possibilities of shapes and colours. Other times, it'll just be about wanting to make something with a certain mood.

Do you have a spot you like to go, that helps you feel creative? 
I find that changing my routine helps a lot.  Yesterday, for instance, I had to deliver some things to Sea Point, which is just around the mountain from where I love, but which has a totally different atmosphere.  It really was exciting to be there, and what was supposed to be a quick in-and-out trip, turned into a long meandering drive with stop-offs along the way at all the funny little shops.  And, it's right at the sea side, so it smells delicious too.

Where do you do most of your work?  
I have my computer at home, and that's where I do my finishing up of things (as well as piles and piles of admin), but I have a wonderful studio space a short bike ride away, which I share with two painters.  I'm very lucky to have such a beautiful space to work in and I find myself (like right now) hurrying through my very necessary computer-based work, just to get to the studio.

How did you come up with the name of your business?
We have a sweet little Siamese cat called Monkey who is skinny as can be.  Her name morphs from Monkey to Minkey to Rollerskate Skinny, and Skinny laMinx is kind of playing with that as well as the childhood chant, Skinny Malinky Long Legs.  It's got nothing to do with me.  I'm not skinny or a minx, and I don't even have particularly long legs!


What is your favorite thing to make? 
I love to do paper cuts.  They're slow and painstaking, but I totally get into a zone and could do them for ever.  I wish I could find time to make more.


What is your all time favorite pattern/design from past or current collections?
I'm very fond of my Waiting print, which started out as a papercut and then a limited edition silkscreen on paper, and is now available on fabric.


You couldn't run your business without __________?
My spectacles!  My eyesight is shocking!

Coffee or tea?
Both, but just in different quantities: One excellent cup of coffee on the way to the studio, and then countless cups of Ceylon tea throughout the day, ending off with a small cup of Rooibos before bed.

Favorite magazine/blog/daily read?
It sounds a bit dumb, seeing as I write the blog for Elle Decoration, but I really do love that magazine.  I have piles of them and when I really want to relax, I get out my scissors and glue and cut out my favourite pics to paste into my scrapbooks.

If you could follow one person around for the day, who would it be?
Maybe Paul Smith?  He seems to really have managed to be hugely successful while remaining a nice bloke.  I wonder what his secret is.  Otherwise, I'd love to walk behind Vietnamese monk, Tich Nat Hahn at his retreat in Plum Village, France.  A day spent in silence with him would be something to remember.  

Do you have any other hobbies or creative outlets?
I play the violin and used to love playing with my band, the Sunday Family, but sadly we've split up, so I don't do that anymore.  I like to do tapestries in the evening, and I love to scour junk shops for treasures too.

Thank you so much Heather for participating in this segment of Behind the Design!
Photos: Courtesy of Heather Moore
Heather can be found at:

2 comments:

Nicole said...

Really nice interview, Candice! I've been wondering about the origin of the name Skinny LaMinx for awhile now :)

The Design Boards said...

Thanks Nicole!