Textile and product designer Nikki McWilliams unintentionally started a fun trend of biscuit cushions – and today continues to brighten up homes around the world with her playful designs.
“I’ve always been a creative person,” Nikki says, with that “passion” leading her to studies at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Despite having no idea where it might take her, she strongly felt that she “was going in the right direction!”
Specialising in drawing, painting and sculpture developed her skills, and she soon found herself drawn to creating art from textiles.
However, it wasn’t until taking a screenprinting course at Dundee Contemporary Arts that the big idea came together, and even then slightly by accident. “I’d made some biscuit quilts at art school and I’d wanted to try out my idea as cushions for a little while,” only intending to create a few pieces for her own home “to practise my new skills”.
“I hadn’t planned on selling them – but I popped a photo on Twitter and I got loads of messages from people who wanted to buy them,” she adds. A biscuity business was born.
Nikki sees her creations as “little pieces of huggable design”. “I think the best bit is seeing them in people’s homes – and how much joy they bring.”
Her most popular designs draw on homely nostalgia, including inspirations from Tunnock’s and its classic Teacakes and Caramel Wafers. “The packaging hasn’t changed since they were created over 50 years ago – so the designs are totally iconic and widely recognised across generations,” she adds.
The global growth of her cushions’ popularity also led to the huge honour of being selected by Selfridges to be part of its Oxford Street shop window to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Queen’s Jubilee.
“Their visual merchandising team always goes the extra mile to create the most detailed and thoughtful displays,” Nikki says. “It was an honour to be part of that.”
For Nikki, “whether we notice or not, design is at the heart of our lives on a daily basis”. “I always think that It’s the things that have been thoughtfully designed blend that well into our routines,” she adds. “Things that ‘just work’ is why good design is important to me.”
As a graduate from Dundee, Nikki is excited to see the city’s huge transformation – and the creation of a new design museum on the waterfront.
“I think V&A Dundee is an incredible asset to Dundee and Scotland on the whole,” she says. “The city itself already has such a supportive creative community which I know will embrace everything that V&A Dundee has to offer. I can’t wait!”
As someone who champions high quality, beautiful design that brings fun and joy into people’s lives, we’re proud to include Nikki as a V&A Dundee Design Champion.
To find out more, and see her full design range, please visit Nikki’s website.
The V&A Dundee Design Champions are inspirational designers creating high-quality work and helping to enhance people’s lives, or champions of the power of design to improve the world.
We will announce 50 Design Champions in the run-up to the museum opening on Saturday 15 September 2018.
V&A Dundee’s Design Champions project is working with Dezeen as its media partner.
Dezeen is the world’s most popular and influential architecture and design magazine, with an audience of 2.5 million unique visitors each month.
