Interview

Introducing: Autumn Sonata

We sat down with the founder of Autumn Sonata to talk heirlooms, archives and the quiet power of everyday objects.

Working between California and Amsterdam, she draws from a lifelong fascination with collecting and display - where a dusty print tucked behind a shelf can spark an entire collection. With a background in archiving and a deep respect for craftsmanship, Autumn Sonata reimagines historic motifs into modern textiles that carry the memory of where they came from.

What inspired you to launch Autumn Sonata between California and Amsterdam, and how does that transatlantic location influence your designs?

I’ve been living in Amsterdam for the last 5 years, but California (where I was raised) lends so much to my conception of design. With that being said, Amsterdam has also served and continues to serve as an essential inspiration for Autumn Sonata. I love the Dutch history of collecting and displaying objects of many origins together (such as the cabinet of curiosities). This is something that attracted me to the country in the first place, and continues to serve as a primary source of inspiration.

Your signature prints evoke such rich history and atmosphere - how do you translate the story behind a found object into the final textile pattern?

Once I’ve sourced a new print, the research begins. I like to get an understanding of the process, the main proprietors, the historical lineage and how this is connected to the world of textile design. When the print is recreated, I like to maintain any elements of character or imperfection in order to maintain this throughline from the past and honor the original intent of the artist.

Can you tell us about an heirloom or archival find, perhaps tucked behind a dusty bookshelf, that led to your most beloved design?

Every time that I enter a museum, bookshop or antique market, I fall deeper in love with my job. I can’t necessarily point to one find in particular, but I am constantly reminded and galvanized by the idea that there are so many beautiful prints, patterns and objects to source! My mind continues to go down constant rabbit holes…

What is a memorable moment from sourcing trips that your audience hasn’t seen yet?

There is a print in an upcoming collection that I found in an antique store in Kyoto, hidden below piles of papers, on my last day in Japan. It is a hand-drawn fan from the 1940s. I gasped when I found it. I love the element of human touch that is so palpable in the design, but also the simplicity of the repeat.

As a former archivist, what is the biggest challenge in re-contextualising something 200 years old into a modern home textile or wardrobe piece?

There are several pain points in particular, including translating the design into modern language. Sometimes a print appears perfect in its original form, and then when it needs to be translated to a more durable, modern fabric, it loses what makes it so special in the first place. Thus, there is a lot of trial and error.

Is there a storied European estate or archival piece that continues to haunt your design dreams - something you longed to translate into a towel but found just out of reach?

Towel design is incredibly challenging! The design truly becomes a translation – when I first began the line, I had so many ideas, but after seeing the final samples in person, it was a complete disaster. I am still trying to figure out how to translate some of my favorite prints into towels. Hence, development can be quite slow and tedious.