YOU CRAFTY THING – COMMEMORATING 155 YEARS WITH RORY HUTTON

IN CELEBRATION OF PENHALIGON’S 155TH ANNIVERSARY, WE INVITED ESTEEMED DESIGNER RORY HUTTON TO CREATE A COMMEMORATIVE SILK SCARF

As Penhaligon’s celebrates 155 years of fine fragrances, we thought it would only be proper to mark the occasion with a collaboration worth its weight in silk scarves. We invited esteemed accessories designer and printmaker Rory Hutton to design a commemorative silk scarf in honour of the occasion. The silk scarf boasts Rory’s signature bold lino-print designs capturing Penhaligon’s rich, eau-so-British heritage.​

THE ARTIST​

An award-winning accessory designer, printmaker, and historian based in Cambridge, Rory creates collections of luxury silk scarves that feature vibrant lino cuts and bold block designs. His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with iconic British institutions such as Highgrove, the Royal Opera House and Fortnum & Mason. These commissions are often commemorative, upholding the time-honoured British past-time of collecting commemorative items.

THE PROCESS​

We sat down with Rory in his home to talk about the creative process for the scarf. As a lover of hand-crafted objects and the past, Rory was inspired by many of the historic items in Penhaligon’s archive – think original bottles of perfume and barber tools from William Penhaligon’s day. Illustrations of these were carved into block of lino, then ink-pressed onto paper before being scanned into a computer to form part of a larger design. As the process for creating the lino cuts is very manual, the prints allow for individualistic markings when they are pressed – this creates something utterly unique that can only be achieved through handcrafted design.