Photograph by Yanis Angel
Alicia Rowbotham is a London-based textile designer, visual artist, and material researcher, renowned for her commitment to sustainable design and innovative use of materials. Her practice seamlessly blends traditional techniques, such as hand weaving, passementerie, and embroidery, with leather and metalwork, reimagining them within contemporary contexts.
Driven by a strong focus on materiality, Alicia's work often incorporates surplus and waste materials from the textile industry. This approach not only highlights the inherent beauty of these materials but also underscores her dedication to sustainability. Her creations evoke a tactile and organic vibrancy, transforming discarded elements into luxurious, artisanal pieces that resonate within modern interiors and gallery spaces.
Alicia's studio collections and bespoke commissions have garnered attention for their meticulous craftsmanship and thoughtful design. Her work continues to explore the intersections of craft, sustainability, and materiality, producing pieces that resonate across private interiors, galleries, and contemporary spaces worldwide.
Photograph by Justyna Kulam
Publications
MAKE WELL!, Hole & Corner (2023)
UKFT Rise – Founder Feature with Alicia Rowbotham (2022)
“New Crafts on the Block,” ELLE Decoration (2021)
Making That Moves, Crafts Magazine (2021)
“UK Surface Designer Reimagines Textile Waste in New Collaboration,” Forbes (2020)
Emerging Designers, Cover Magazine (2019)
Awards
Clothworkers Silversmith Material Innovation Bursary (2022)
New Designers Mentorship Programme (2021)
Clothworkers’ Company Award / Cockpit Residency (2020)
Rosemary House Creative Weaver Award – Highly Commended (2019)
The Mills Fabrica Sustainability Prize – Shortlisted (2019)
Maison/0 Green Trail Design Prize – Shortlisted (2019)
Exhibitions
Woolff Gallery – Debut Show (2025)
The Cockpit Edit (2025)
Affordable Art Fair (2025)
Textile + Surface, London Craft Week, Oxo Tower Wharf (2022)
Collect Art Fair – House on Mars Gallery (2021)
The Sustainable Angle – Future Fabrics Expo, The Innovation Hub (2020)
Surface Design Show – Design Spotlight (2020)
Designing in Turbulent Times, Lethaby Gallery (2019)
Artist Residencies
Craft makers in Residence, Design Centre Chelsea Harbour (2023)
Art House Jersey – Skipton Big Ideas: Where Waste Meets Design (2022)
Clothworkers’ Company & Worshipful Weavers Foundation – Cockpit Residency (2020–2023)