TAILORED TEXTILES WITH TOYINE SELLERS

Since the beginning, Skargaarden has had a clear focus on the contract and hospitality market. Each project comes with its own set of requirements – and we know that it is the details that create the whole. That is why we offer the possibility to work with COM textiles and bespoke fabric selections, allowing our furniture ranges H55, Anholt, Asker, Bönan, Saltö and Saltholm to be tailored to expression, function and environment.

Material choice is essential to how a piece of furniture is experienced, tactiley and over time. In our work with custom-made solutions, we collaborate with selected designers and textile creators who share our view on quality, function and longevity.

Toyine Sellers is one of them.

With a background in high-end interior design and a strong focus on exclusive craftsmanship, she has chosen Skargaarden’s furniture as the canvas for her textiles. The result is a dialogue between furniture design and textile, where form, structure and colour come together to create a personal expression.

Working at the intersection of function and aesthetics, Toyine designs textiles intended to be used and to age with dignity. In the conversation below, Toyine shares her thoughts on textile design, her collaboration with Skargaarden and how her exclusive fabrics give furniture such as H55 a new expression.

A CONVERSATION WITH TOYINE
From Interior Architecture to Textile Design

You have a background in high-end interior design. How has that journey shaped the way you work with textiles today?

My background in high-end interior design is really what led me to textiles in the first place. While working with Peter Marino, he once handed me a photo of a Louis Vuitton trunk and said, “Develop that as a fabric.” I had no idea how to do it, but when Peter gives you an instruction, you figure it out. That moment unknowingly set the course for the next phase of my life. Through that process, I discovered an extraordinary world of weavers and textile artists whose passion and dedication completely captivated me. One weaver in particular deeply influenced me and ultimately drew me back to Europe to work alongside his atelier.

You work closely with traditional weavers and artisans in France. What does it mean to you personally to be involved in the entire process – from initial idea to finished fabric?

Creating fabrics from start to finish is at the heart of what I do, and working with traditional weavers and artisans in France allows me to fully realise that vision. Memories, nature, art and food, are my inspiration, I’m always looking around observing the world around me. Then, I start to think of which yarn colors or textures I have in my stock that can be assembled to get that effect. I play with the yarn, and create a recipe I feel will work, and at the same time I start working on the repeat and design.

Lastly, I test it on the loom. Sometimes I get lucky and it’s perfect the first time, others, and more often, it’s not at all what I visualised but that isn’t always a bad thing, as it can open doors to new possibilities. Other times it is about making adjustments or occasionally it is back to square one! Having my own atelier allows me to control every step of the process, from the sampling and production process, to ensure that looms were available as and when I needed them in order to guarantee my clients quality and timely deliveries.

ABOUT THE ARTIST AND DESIGNER

Toyine, born in South Africa to European parents, grew up across Africa, North America, and South America. Her nomadic upbringing fostered a deep sensitivity to nature, color, and texture – elements that define her work. After two decades in high-end interior design, including work at Peter Marino Architects in New York on luxury boutiques such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Dior, she shifted her focus to material design and textiles.