
I knew I had to explore this idea and — ironically — bring it to life for my final year project for the Royal college of Art in London. Yet, I struggled to express it.
This pursuit was more than a creative exploration; it became a form of meditation. I aimed to embody the feeling of being one with all living beings through bold patterns, colours and textures that would celebrate the ingenuity of Mother Nature. This concept of perfect unity despite our differences inspired my very first series, Hybrid Nature.
I continued to develop the Hybrid Nature series in Barcelona, and I launched my brand with it in 2015. Now I know that by creating this series, I also yearned to express something deeply personal — my identity. Canary Islands and India, two very different sides of the same coin, two very different sources of cherished memories.
When I think of the Canary Islands, I recall watching little fish swimming in the sea during my morning walks along Las Canteras beach. Did they watch me as much as I watched them? Did they find me as beautiful and fascinating too? Those memories fill me with nostalgia. When I think of India, my thoughts immediately turn to the shape of a leaf. Every textile design or henna pattern seems to feature this shape, almost like a natural emblem of our connection to the earth.
I merged these symbols to convey the sense of unity I feel when I think of home. Though I’ve spent much of the last years elsewhere, my mind always returns to the gentle waters of the Canary Islands and the vibrant spirit of India.
P. S. The funny thing is, I didn’t originally name this motif “leafish”. One day, while experimenting with knitwear, I asked Gary, the knitwear technician, to use special machinery to recreate this pattern in knit. He labelled the motif file “leafish”, and the name instantly resonated with me.
For my final year project, I created my very first leafish scarf, and since then, I have reintroduced it in every collection as a special edition scarf, taking on different patterns, textures and colours each time. It has become a tradition of sorts, continually reinventing itself a symbol of unity not just in nature but across time.
What is time to nature, anyway?