THE JOURNAL
THE LIFE What is it really like running a fast-paced, imaginative
design studio? The dynamic duo behind Maddux Creative give the inside track on what sparks their creativity and reveal how a visit to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is inspiring, beneficial and fun
M
addux Creative’s founders, Tennessee native Scott Maddux and Brit Jo leGleud, have been friends for years. The pair’s shared passions for travel, fashion, art, craft and music led them to establish their award-winning studio in 2011 and they have been conjuring up design magic together ever
since from their south-east London base. Their roles are different but complementary, but it is their combined design aesthetic that ensures their style is multifaceted and considered, their schemes never cookie-cutter and there are no repeat narratives. Maddux leads the projects, they put flesh on the bones together, and leGleud focuses on detail and creative direction. Recent projects include a reimagined Cotswold granary and a London residence with parkland views which blends sophistication with modern living. They regularly head to the Design Centre to seek inspiration and source. “I love
shopping for anything,” says Maddux, “but it’s where you get sucked in – from a window display to a colour – that’s when there’s that little bit of serendipity.” Taking a more measured approach, leGleud is more focused: “We do keep quite a good library, so that could be the start of a scheme, and then if we're missing a fabric, we’ll come in. Sometimes that throws you off in a different direction, so it's worth investing the time.” A love of colour and texture sits at the heart of their design philosophy, and
craftsmanship is paramount. In the Holland & Sherry showroom, the latest rugs from Galbraith & Paul, made using traditional hand knotting and weaving in a rich palette of green and yellow yarns, caught their eye. In the Zoffany showroom, leGleud was immediately drawn to ‘Hampton Embroidery’ by guest designer Livia Papiernik, a graduate from the Royal School of Needlework. It is a place close to leGleud’s heart – she has tutored hand embroidery there and enjoys encouraging the next-generation, even inviting some students to do some freeform embroidery in the 2023 WOW!house room with Fromental. LeGleud often heads to her little studio in Woolwich to paint and stitch in what
she calls her “happy place.” It was here she worked on Gloriette for US trimmings specialist Samuel & Sons, with patterns partly inspired by classical architecture, from arcades of embroidered columns to florid acanthus leaves. The collection draws on her roots: she started her professional career in fashion as an embroiderer working with designer, Koji Tatsuno. Many of the designs are based on her hand- stitched originals, while others show off Maddux Creative’s inventive colour sense: a triple chain fringe features three colours that gradually intermingle, while an undulating embroidered border, based on one of leGleud’s watercolours, delivers a similar ombré effect. The Tissus d’Hélène atelier is another favourite spot for artisanal fabrics, many of
which are screen-printed or hand blocked. “I love the format, the way everything's folded. It feels like a haberdasher, and you can take fabric out, and you can touch,” says Maddux, who made a beeline for new samples in a classic lilac palette with a twist, just in from Lisa Fine and Rose Cumming. Meanwhile, leGleud was drawn to the geometric patterns of Adelphi Paper Hangings.
DAY IN
Wherever you go with Maddux and leGleud, they are joyfully greeted by the
showrooms. “What I love about the industry is everyone is so friendly,” comments Maddux, getting a hug from the co-founder of August+Co. While perusing the latest collections, they bump into the team behind Johnstons of Elgin, a brand which the showroom distributes. “I went to the factory, which was amazing,” he comments. “That deep dive is really important as you can better understand what they're able to do, and potentially to do something custom for a project.” Spending time with this creative duo, it is apparent that their dialogue is
constant, as are their sources of inspiration. “If you know who you are, it comes from your whole being and you never stop creatively looking,” says leGleud. “We have an internal Instagram chat where we send each other things. Sometimes it's specifically for a project reference, but then sometimes, it's just ‘I found this crazy, beautiful thing.’” It could be a vintage fabric panel or a detail about how a piece of Dior couture has been made, but all shared to keep things fresh and interesting. They are regular visitors to museums, galleries and art fairs like PAD and Frieze, as well as craft exhibition like Homo Faber and Collect. The Design Centre’s curated craft shows are always on the agenda as they find artisans they have not seen before. Travel, too, supercharges their creative process and they often bring the team. “When you have those shared memories and experiences of discovering something together, then it's more meaningful,” says Maddux. With the business going from strength to strength, Maddux Creative appreciate
their involvement in the design world and are popular guests at Design Centre events. “You’ve created a community, and the fashion industry just doesn’t have this kind of community support,” says Maddux. With that, they head to Design Restaurant by Social Pantry to have a debrief about a scheme that is sure to have a point of view and incorporate texture, form and colours in unexpected ways.
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A London residence by Maddux Creative, whose parkside setting inspired its explorations of colour and texture; a penthouse in Clerkenwell; Jo leGleud looks at the latest Galbraith & Paul rugs in Holland & Sherry; leGleud with trim from her own Gloriette collection for Samuel & Sons; Scott Maddux in the Zoffany showroom ABOVE, TOP: Getting a feel for Johnston’s of Elgin’s fabrics in August+Co ABOVE, BOTTOM: The haberdashery-style displays in Tissus d'Hélène encourage exploration of fabrics such as these from Lisa Fine and Rose Cumming
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