Designer Sef Farrugia needs no introduction. Known for her knitwear and Mediterranean themed prints, she has slowly but surely established herself as a leading name in Maltese fashion. Now progressing into homeware and soft furnishings, her latest range of cushions is not only imbued with her very own brand of Mediterranean luxurious glamour but also promises to brighten up the dullest corner of your home.

I sat down with the designer herself to discover what exactly has sparked her move and what Sef Farrugia enthusiasts should expect from her latest range.

“I am a textile designer first and foremost and fabrics are so much of what I do. I have gravitated towards homewares and soft furnishings as a natural progression in my line of work. The research for these particular prints was mostly based upon imported interior elements and tiles from the Victorian and Edwardian era, and so it made even more sense to explore this field.

“Having said that, my peers had suggested I tap into the interior world back when I first started and I thought it was something I should consider and follow up.”

Why a cushion collection? “I am interested in anything that involves fabrics. To be honest, I did have a cushion collection in the works a while ago when I first moved back to Malta, but other things took over.

“You could say that this collection has been a long time coming. I love envisioning my prints on different accessories that can be used in different contexts, and cushions were the first thing to come to mind. I feel like cushions are the ultimate home accessory.”

Although Sef feels that she finds inspiration everywhere, she does have very particular sources that she returns to.

I am a textile designer first and foremost and fabrics are so much of what I do

“I feel that this particular collection was a succession from my very first clothing collection back in 2011, which was also my graduate collection. The prints are inspired by childhood films I loved which are set in the 19th and early 20th centuries. At the time, importing North African tiles and other trimmings was quite the common thing to do because they were considered to be exotic and, therefore, of interest.”

Known for her luxurious fabrics and quality finishes, a lot of thought goes into the materials Sef uses in all her products.

“Just like anything that I do, I research the materials that go into production. In this case, I chose silk satin crepe, as well as organic cotton twill. These are materials I have worked with before and so I am extremely familiar with how they work. I look for a contrast in texture as well as its aesthetic feel. As for the colour palette, I mostly focused on three or four main colours.”

Each of Sef’s pieces does not exist in a vacuum, and in fact, a lot of thought goes into making each and every one.

“Research plays such a big part in everything I do. At the end of the day, one is still buying a cushion; however, I am hoping that whoever is interested in them is also interested in their peculiarity and uniqueness.”

Despite the fact that Sef’s items are very distinctive, it doesn’t mean that she has a particular home in mind when designing them.

“I am all for distinctive architecture. However, I wouldn’t say that I’ve got an ideal home in mind when I design. I find that the reasons behind the choices we make in choosing clothing are the same ones behind the choices we make for our homes. Everything is very personal, and so you can never say how a cushion would look in one home or another. I have to confess that I really love that ambiguity.”

Although Sef doesn’t have a fixed, ideal backdrop in mind when she designs her pieces, she is infinitely more decisive when it comes to her own personal taste.

“I don’t quite follow trends. I know what I like and what I don’t like instantly and that hasn’t changed much through the years. What I am very much looking forward to and working towards is the opening of my new shop in Rabat in the coming months. I’m really excited about having all my clothing pieces, accessories as well as homeware products displayed and available all together.”