Celebrating International Women’s Day: Introducing the Women Behind the Business
At Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics, we’re proud to have a fantastic team of remarkable women whose creativity, care, and craftsmanship shape everything we create. This International Women’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on the women behind the business to share their stories, their skills, and the invaluable roles they play in bringing our fabrics, and our values, to life.
Back (left to right): Tania, Zoe, Beth, Rose, Clio
Front (left to right): Hayley, Vanessa, Izzy, Ian
Vanessa, Rose, Flora & Clio: A family affair
Vanessa’s business has always been a family story at its heart. And at the centre of it all is Vanessa herself; she’s the founder and creative force behind everything we create.
Vanessa started her business at her kitchen table 25 years ago. Our brand has now blossomed into a household name in British interior design; and throughout it all, Vanessa’s journey has been entwined with her two daughters Rose and Flora.
Vanessa has experienced her fair share of challenges, however. “In early 2017, I had a fall which left me with two broken arms, unable to hold a pencil,” recalls Vanessa. “But it was with the support of my daughters that I was able to bring out a collection at all that year.”
Rose and Flora have become an integral part of the creative process in recent years, with their artwork bringing a fresh and expressive dimension to Vanessa’s collection. Wild and Free, Sepals and Petals, and For the Love of Rose were all designed in collaboration with her two daughters. Rose also creates beautiful still life paintings that can be seen on display in our Cirencester showroom and in our photoshoots.
“Today, watching my daughters branch out to become artists and entrepreneurs in their own right is its own reward”, explains Vanessa.
Clio Arbuthnott has also become a key part of the business in recent years. A former Sunday Times journalist turned Forest School teacher, and married to Vanessa’s eldest son George, Clio brings a fresh perspective along with a love of the natural world. She now leads the marketing side of the business, helping to share the story and spirit of the brand with a wider audience, as its storytelling continues to evolve across digital platforms. She enjoys the depictions of animals and birds in Vanessa’s fabrics, and loves how her curtains made from Song Birds look in her home.
Laura Spencer: Colourist and production coordinator
Laura has been part of Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics since the very beginning. As a colourist and production coordinator, she works closely with Vanessa to transfer her hand-drawn designs into beautifully balanced, repeatable patterns.
Laura’s role requires both technical precision and artistic sensitivity; she understands exactly where each motif should sit, and how to make each design feel organic. She has a fantastic level of attention to detail which helps give Vanessa’s fabrics their signature softness – and seeing all that hard work pays off gives her a real sense of achievement.
Laura’s favourite design is Wild and Free. “This type of art is my favourite as it looks very childlike, simple and innocent”, explains Laura.
Sally Denning: Stylist-come-creative director
Sally has been a stylist at Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics for over 15 years. “Vanessa approached me to refresh her brochure and photography when I was heavily pregnant. I explained that I was about to have a baby, but she wasn’t phased, so I brought him along with a car load of props, flowers and furniture!” Sally recalls fondly.
But Sally’s role isn’t just about arranging cushions or placing flowers. She shapes the entire visual narrative of every image, paying close attention to how each collection is presented, how each colour interacts with one another, and how the room feels as a whole. Her process is thoughtful and immersive, with up to 6 months of planning before a single photograph is taken.
Sally is particularly drawn to Vanessa’s striped designs, and she never tires of the imaginative colours and patterns that Vanessa creates.
Hayley: Business office manager
Hayley began working for Vanessa back in 2011 as part of the dispatch team, before transitioning to her current role as Office Manager. She is responsible for overseeing the daily rhythm of the office and the made-to-measure side of the business.
Hayley loves guiding customers towards the right fabrics and combinations to make their home feel just right. A lot of hard work and care goes into creating every product, and seeing them come to life is extremely rewarding. “When we see the beautiful rooms that our customers have created using our products and the joy it brings to them, it’s a great feeling”, she explains.
Hayley’s favourite design is Scandi Stripe in Cool. This 100% linen fabric is woven in India, with soft neutral colours that sit beautifully in Hayley’s home.
Izzy, Zoe & Tania: The heart of the showroom
The showroom is where many of our customers first fall in love with Vanessa’s fabrics. Izzy, Zoe, and Tania’s roles are central for creating a warm and welcoming showroom experience for our customers.
Izzy is responsible for managing all enquiries that come in over the phone and email, and helping customers put schemes together when they visit the showroom. Her favourite fabrics are Little Fern and Lattice Leaf; she loves how they work together and allow people to easily introduce colour into their projects.
Zoe is the general assistant at Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics. She brings a fresh enthusiasm to the showroom and relishes the moment a customer finds “the one”. She loves Vanessa’s bold, characterful designs like Malmo and Pretty Maids, as they’re such versatile patterns that work beautifully across many types of projects.
Tania is our very own in-house interior designer. She describes her role as a form of “marriage guidance”, helping couples to find common ground and discover their perfect fabric. She loves the breadth and freshness of Vanessa’s colours and how easy they are to combine, with Fine Foliage being her favourite.
Beth & Ian: The brains behind dispatch
Beth and Ian both sit at the heart of our dispatch team, playing a vital role in ensuring that every order we send out is of the highest standard.
As Head of Dispatch, Beth loves seeing every piece through from arrival to dispatch. From pattern matching and colour consistency to overall finish, she has a meticulous eye to detail and ensures that every piece that leaves production is perfect. Her favourite design is Little Fern in Lily Pink; she loves the gentleness of the colour mixed with the fullness of the pattern across the fabric.
While this is a celebration of women behind the business, it wouldn’t feel right not to include Ian. He works alongside Beth as General Assistant and is an invaluable member of the team (as well as being an artist in his spare time!). He is responsible for checking and touching up every metre of fabric before it’s cut and sent out; for example, removing tiny threads using tweezers and a pin. Lattice Leaf in Lily Pink and Mallow is his most recent favourite design, thanks to its structured softness.
Jo at Ivo’s and Adele: Talented local craftswomen
Beyond the studio, we also work with some incredibly talented craftswomen to help bring our fabrics to life.
Jo works as a production coordinator at Ivo’s, and is responsible for overseeing the journey from design to printed cloth. She finds watching the colours and designs come to life really magical, like witnessing a rainbow take shape. She is drawn to Vanessa’s Up The Garden Path, Wild Fern, and Life and Eternity.
And then there is Adele: a seamstress who works from her garden studio and creates Vanessa’s beautiful cushions. She’s entirely self-taught and loves working with all kinds of textiles, both old and new. Her favourite fabric is In Full Flight – it’s a bold yet elegant design that works beautifully for cushions.
Spruce up your space with our nature-inspired fabrics
Feeling inspired by the craftsmanship and creativity that sits at the heart of our business? Explore our full fabric collection and get ready to find your new favourite design!
We sell fabrics exclusively designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott, along side small, bespoke collection of Made to Measure items which includes curtains, blinds, sofas, footstools, chairs, headboards, and quilts, all handmade specially for you by master crafts people.
