Every creative career has a turning point. For Luna Smith, it arrived in the form of a gift wrap brief, and an email that found her on the other side of the world.
Luna graduated from Chelsea College of Arts in 2025 with a BA in Textile Design. We first came across Luna’s work at her degree show—back then they were patterns, but there was something in them that felt like it could hold its own as a product. So Nat Stevens met with Luna for a one-to-one to talk about where she wanted to take her surface design and how we might help her get there. She wasn’t sure which direction to go in so we suggested something simple: let’s test a product together. We’d cover the cost of making it, and pay her a fee for the design. No risk on her side. Just a chance to see what her patterns could become.
By then, Luna was in Japan working a ski season in Niseko and learning to ski. What she didn’t expect was that her creative career would begin while she was there.
Support that travels
The opportunities from not just a shop and UAL’s Future 50 arrived while Luna was in Japan. She could have let them pass, and it would have been understandable since she was midway through an adventure in a different time zone…instead, she said yes.
“It taught me a lot about time management,” she says. “It was a challenge at the time, but looking back on it, I am so happy I followed through, since it completely changed my practice”.
That’s what we’re here for. Not just to hand out opportunities, but to help you follow through on them wherever you are, whatever else you’re juggling.
Gift wrap commission
Luna’s gift wrap commission was the first time anyone had commissioned her designs. That’s a milestone for any maker: the moment your work stops being something you do for yourself and becomes something someone else wants.
Luna worked closely with Clio Delcour-Min, who walked her through every stage, not just the designing and developing, but everything that happens after.
“They gave me a space for learning and included me in all the steps,” Luna says. “It’s been a great learning opportunity. It’s given me a lot more confidence in both design and business, and excitement for what I can achieve next.”
Since then, Luna has gone on to design a napkin and tea towel range with us.
It’s your turn
As we celebrate 9 years, we want more students and graduates to know what’s possible. We offer commissions that build confidence; one-to-one product development sessions that turn an idea into a range; honest guidance on pricing, packaging, and everything else nobody teaches you. And crucially, we make sure your first commissioned product covers production costs, so you can focus on the work instead of the risk.
Every purchase made in our shop fuels this entire system. Stories like Luna’s are why we exist. Not just to stock beautiful things, but to help the people behind them build something that lasts.
Your ambition is why we’re here. Whatever stage you’re at, wherever you are in the world, come and talk to us! We’d love to be part of your story.