Tove Johansson Surface Pattern

Browsing the web yesterday I stumbled upon a post at Bloesem about Tove Johansson. Here is a designer whose work I will watch closely. Often when I find a designer I like I pick through their site to find my favourite images, but with Tove Johansson's work there is not a piece that I could happily leave out! At times like this I find myself short of words. Given that Kitty as a Picture is about finding things that inspire and excite me, how many different ways can there be to say 'I love this!'? And what is left to say when I find a designer like Tove who I think really stands out?

Kitchen towel in ‘tivoli’ by Tove Johansson

Table cloth in ‘tivoli’ by Tove Johansson

Cushion in ‘tivoli’ by Tove Johansson

Mixed cushions by Tove Johansson

Stationery in ‘rand & ruta’, ‘drops’ & ‘tivoli' by Tove Johansson

Cushion in 'drops' by Tove Johansson

Wallpaper in ‘svala’ & mixed pillows by Tove Johansson

 Tunica in ‘happy checks’ by Tove Johansson

The Clover Cushion by Tove Johansson

Lamp in ‘rand & ruta’ by Tove Johansson

Wrapping paper in ‘black cats’ & ‘svampar’ by Tove Johansson

Cushion in ‘black cats’ by Tove Johansson

My daughter and I play a game where I say, "How much does your mummy love you?" and she says "lots and lots and lots and lots and lots," and it is very cute because until recently she spoke in that clumsy way that toddlers do, and it was more like "yots and yots and yots and yots". Anyway, if someone were to ask me "How much do you love Tove's designs?" I would say "Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots!" 

Tove Johansson is a Swedish designer based in Paris working in fashion, textiles and illustration. Educated at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design with a BA in fashion design and marketing, she worked for Christian Lacroix, later running womenswear label Rosetta with partner Petra Borner as well as freelancing for fashion and trend & forecasting companies. Today she works with clients within fashion, textiles, paper goods and interior. She is currently working to set up a web shop where you will be able to purchase some of her exquisite goods. In the meantime, you can visit Tove's website for any updates.

Photography by Aurélie Lécuyer

A huge thanks to Tove Johansson for allowing Kitty as a Picture Illustration and Surface Design Blog permission to publish these images.