Emilia Wickstead brings couture sensibility to the table with expanded homeware collection

Fashion designer Emilia Wickstead, celebrated for her tailored garments worn by the British royal family and A-listers, has expanded her homeware line with a collection that brings her couturier’s eye to the table. The Emilia Wickstead Home range, launched this spring with help from her mother Angela, focuses on heirloom-quality pieces crafted using traditional techniques.

The collection includes Italian linens and embroideries, porcelain made by a family-run business in Limoges, crystal glasses blown by a Murano artisan, and silver cutlery crafted in Sheffield. Wickstead told Wallpaper* that she wanted to bring the kind of beautiful linens and embroideries often admired but not necessarily owned to the marketplace in a design-led way under the name of a fashion house.

“If you’re going to do it, you need to do it properly,” Wickstead said. “This is for long longevity, these are the keepsake pieces.”

Expanded homeware collection

The collection marks a significant expansion of Wickstead’s brand, which until now has been primarily known for fashion. The involvement of her mother Angela, who collaborated on the design process, adds a personal dimension. The pieces are intended to be passed down, echoing the heirloom quality of the family linens Wickstead remembers from her childhood.

The materials are sourced from regions with deep craft traditions: Italian linen for tablecloths and napkins, Limoges porcelain for dinnerware, hand-blown Murano crystal for glassware, and Sheffield silver for cutlery. Each element is produced using traditional methods, reinforcing the collection’s emphasis on longevity over fast trends.

Craftsmanship and materials

The choice of materials reflects a deliberate move away from disposable tableware. Wickstead’s garments are known for their classic silhouettes and high-quality construction, and the homeware follows the same principle. The porcelain is made by a family-run business in Limoges, a city synonymous with fine china since the 18th century. The crystal glasses are hand-blown on the Venetian island of Murano, a centre of glassmaking for over a millennium. The silver cutlery is produced in Sheffield, a city with a long history of metalworking.

Hosting philosophy

Beyond the products, Wickstead’s approach to hosting is equally central to the collection’s appeal. She describes a relaxed but thoughtful style, influenced by her New Zealand upbringing and her Italian grandmother’s habit of hosting family meals with beautiful linens that were used repeatedly.

“Why wait for a special occasion when it can be something as simple as breakfast?” Wickstead asked. “Every moment is a special occasion.”

Her husband, an exceptional cook, handles the kitchen, allowing her to focus on the table setting and guest experience. The menu is comfort food, often including a Bolognese sauce she learned from her grandmother or a pavlova, a New Zealand meringue cake. Drinks on arrival are typically Champagne, or cocktails made by her husband.

The music playlist ranges from Chet Baker to Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Elvis, and Aretha Franklin. Wickstead’s dream dinner guest is the late Diana Vreeland, the fashion editor known for her strong opinions and wit. A successful evening, she says, is one where guests don’t want to leave. The one thing a host should never do: ask people to leave early.

Why this matters for design culture readers

For an audience interested in interiors, materials, and design culture, the Emilia Wickstead Home collection represents a growing trend of fashion designers entering the homeware space with a focus on craftsmanship and heritage. The collection’s emphasis on traditional techniques and heirloom pieces aligns with a broader shift toward quality over quantity in home furnishings. Wickstead’s hosting philosophy, which celebrates everyday meals as occasions worth dressing up for, offers a practical and aspirational model for readers who appreciate thoughtful design in their own homes.

The collection also highlights the value of preserving regional craft traditions, from Limoges porcelain to Murano glass and Sheffield silver. Each piece supports skilled artisans and small workshops, adding a layer of cultural and economic significance to the products.

Source: Wallpaper, “Emilia Wickstead on celebrating the every day: ‘Why wait for a special occasion?’” – https://www.wallpaper.com/entertaining/how-we-host-emilia-wickstead