I’ve been a textile and surface pattern designer for over 30 years (yes, that makes me feel ancient, thanks for asking). I run the London-based print design studio Bay and Brown, started The Design School, and also founded The Pattern Cloud and The Design Agent. Basically, if there’s a pattern involved, I’ve probably doodled on it, designed it, or tried to build a business around it.

But let’s rewind.

I grew up in the Welsh valleys where we had, wait for it… a post office and a pub. That was it. Not exactly Milan, but a girl can dream, right? I always wanted to work in fashion and textiles, so off I went to study at Brunel University (back when the campus was still in High Wycombe). It didn’t take me long to realise I wanted my own business. So with a graduate loan, a part-time job at McDonald’s (yes, I could flip a burger and draw a floral all in one day), I got myself into a studio, learned the ropes, and within five years was freelancing and planning my next big leap.

Then came the Aussie husband (an excellent life decision) and £700 in my pocket (a slightly less excellent financial situation). With that, I launched Bay and Brown. The rest is history—or rather, a very long passport story. I spent years travelling the world with a suitcase full of designs: New York, L.A., Brazil, you name it. I’ve eaten fresh pasta in Italy, been arrested by mistake in America (yes, really), and basically lived my life one trade show at a time.

Then came motherhood. Cue the ultimate juggling act: baby in one arm, portfolio in the other. Two weeks after my son was born I was back in the London studio, bleary-eyed but determined. That was the moment I thought, “Okay Tracey, how can you make this easier?” And that’s when The Pattern Cloud was born. (And no, it wouldn’t have happened without my tech partners-in-crime James and Tom from Gather No Moss.)

But of course, me being me, I couldn’t stop there. So I launched The Design School to help the next generation of designers, and I somehow also sit on the TEX+ committee because I clearly don’t understand the concept of free time.

So yes, from flipping burgers to mistaken arrests, from women’s wear prints to mentoring the next wave of talent, it’s been quite the adventure. And honestly? I’m still loving every moment no matter how chaotic it is

Following a Printed Textile Design degree in Birmingham (it took me 2 years to get on the course and I was only finally give a place because someone dropped out in the first month). While there I did a month work placement with Melvin Anderson Studio in Milan. This proved to be a defining point in starting Gather No Moss print studio.

I am now in my 4th Decade of working in the printed textile area.

What I enjoy about this business is how much it has change and how much it is continuing to change. 

Having moved from being a designer, stretching paper on boards, painting with brushes and ‘intercutting’ as a way to correct mistakes and to create repeats too running a business with offices in London and New York with over 20 people working for us too the current challenges of running a purely digital design service, curating out huge design library and working closely with our customers around the globe to create the perfect designs for their collections. 

During this time I was also part of setting up an online photographic library, I am one of the founders of the software business The Pattern Cloud Group, and I have 3 grown up children (my biggest achievement).

I can safely say no 2 years have ever been the same !

Now that Tracey and I are less involved with The Pattern Cloud we have decided to create a membership space to build a community for surface designers. We have become acutely aware of how isolating the current work space can be and how information, guidance, professional tips are even more difficult to find than they were when I started ………. before the internet even existed !