With over 185 years of proudly British manufacturing and design heritage to its name, Abraham Moon and Sons are experts in producing woollen cloth of unrivalled character and quality. Today, it is one of a select few mills within the UK that manufacture and sell its cloth directly to its customers from a single site – allowing the company to control every single stage within the production process to the highest standard.
In 2024, the company was awarded a Design Guild Mark for its Bronte British lambswool Collection of throws for interiors in the Interior Design Elements category.
We recently sat down with Judith Coates, design director at Abraham Moon and Sons, who presented the collection to the judges, to find about more about her career in design.
Who is your design hero?
I don’t have a particular design hero; I admire many different designers for different reasons. Those that dare to be different are always of great interest and can grab the attention of the consumer but equally those with a very commercial eye for great, well made product.
When did you first decide you were going to be a designer?
When I was very young! My mother was a dressmaker, working from home so I was surrounded by fabric and garments from a very early age. I had my first sewing machine at the age of 6 and some of my first experiments were doll’s clothes! I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer but visited the University of Leeds to look at their Textile Design degree course and decided that was the route I wanted to take.
What was your first big break in the industry?
I joined Abraham moon as Designer at the age of 22, way back in 1988. Shortly after I joined, one of the more senior designers left the company so I was thrown in at the deep end, very soon travelling to see and work with customers in New York, Germany and France. I loved the challenge and the variety of work from the start.
What was the first product you ever designed?
I started designing for a winter collection which was probably AW89/90. I remember designing a colourful textured tweed for the collection and being very excited when a customer placed an order.
What do you enjoy about being a designer?
I love the variety of the role. A woven textile designer has to combine a mathematical and logical brain with the aesthetics of texture and colour. it is the perfect combination for me because I have always really enjoyed maths and art. As designers we work very closely with the production team which is a great experience and keeps us grounded and learning all the time!
What is the most frustrating aspect of your job?
Every job comes with necessary administration to ensure that the process is perfect. Accuracy is essential. Sometimes the full process from initial concept to final product seems to take so much time. I am always eager to start something new, but some days are not as creative as others!
Which design are you most proud of?
Some of the special developments that I have worked on with customers throughout the years have been extremely rewarding, especially when you see the final garments in the shops or in promotions.
What is your creative process? How do you get in the mood to design something?
I have to clear my mind and not be under pressure from meetings and administration. I like to design in the mornings when the light is good with space around me and I prefer it to be quiet without interruptions! although I have access to CAD I often sketch a design and use yarn strings to work out the colours and jot down a plan.
What influences you?
A lot of things influence me. It is extremely important firstly to know and understand your customers, their requirements and the market that you are designing for. Many ideas evolve from products that are already established and they are a move a new direction. Magazines and runway shows are of course an influence, as are the trend books particularly for colour but we do not rely on them and we can take new directions of our own if we can see something working that we haven’t tried before. We have a fantastic archive and heritage fabrics that date back to the early 1900s which are often a very valuable part of our new developments for the future.
Is there a product you wish you’d designed?
Not really, I admire and am inspired by products designed by others, but I am very privileged to be part of a company that celebrates and encourages new creative ideas and developments so am happy with al, that I have done so far and excited about the future!
For more information about Abraham Moon, go to www.moons.co.uk
