7 Questions with… Bernie de Le Cuona

1. How did you get started in design?

I studied Architectural Design in Johannesburg. It was hard to leave my home in South Africa, but a move to Brussels changed my life. It was there that I first discovered linen. A few years after moving to London my English husband and I split up. I then had to find a way to make a living. I never wrote a business plan, but I knew that I wanted to produce beautiful things and coupled with my entrepreneurial spirit I started to explore fabrics, experimenting with natural fibres and weaving techniques.

2. How does your background/experiences influence your brand/line/showroom?

Nature has always been at the heart of what we do, and the great natural beauty of South Africa inspires the raw sophistication found in some of our collections.  The natural colours and textures of the landscape are woven into our textiles that work seamlessly together and layer beautifully.

What stands out about your brand/line/showroom?

Consistency. We started a distinctive natural linen look and have stayed true to our aesthetic – forever fabrics beautifully crafted using artisanal techniques from the highest quality natural fibres.

3. What is your favorite product that you sell (or have sold)?

I always say one of our new designs.  Nara has an extraordinary structure where linen and alpaca yarns are woven into the face of the unbleached and undyed stonewashed linen to create a distinctive structure. It carries the Master of Linen accreditation.

4. What is your favorite part about your job?

As founder and CEO of de Le Cuona I lead both the creative and business direction. But creativity is my favourite part and I believe that travel is the bedrock of originality.  It gives our fabrics depth and resonance.

I am lucky enough to travel. That’s where I really discover craftsmanship. I search for the best fibres, the best skills or unusual techniques. I meet the most inspiring people – the last keepers of old techniques which are about to be lost in time, the most courageous people who are ready to try something that no one in the industry has tried before. Our confidence to do the unexpected comes from a mastery of the craft. How de Le Cuona produces the cloths to last and be loved or years.

5. Looking ahead, what most excites you about the future of your brand/line/showroom?

We have introduced Hemp into our new Nature’s Opera collection, a sustainable fibre that is easier to source and has a beautiful natural lustre, it’s strong yet elegant.

We also have exciting plans to extend our portfolio with a new product category. Watch this space!

7. What woman has most influenced you either in your career or personally?

Can I have two?  Both pioneering women who defied convention and forged their own paths.

Coco Chanel is a design inspiration. She is quoted as saying ‘simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance’ which resonates with de Le Cuona as does her consistent and considered approach to her aesthetic.

British born conservation Dr Jane Goodall, DBE, is the leading global advocate for animal welfare and the natural world. A formidable woman now in her nineties who was told when she wanted to be a scientist that she was ‘just a girl but grew up to redefine mankind.  Her mother told her that If you really want something it is about hard work, embracing opportunities and never giving up.

I totally believe anything is possible it just depends how hard you are prepared to try to get it.