Daytrippers: Kate Harvey

Daytrippers! showcases the work of six designers, each commissioned to create contemporary, limited-edition souvenirs in celebration of the ‘year of the daytripper’. On offer are beautifully designed wildflower seed boxes and beach towels, displayed on specially customised Christiana bikes.

First up we meet Kate...

Kate Scarlet Harvey is a Dundee based textile designer, known for her choreographed abstract graphic prints which are applied to a wide range of apparel from t-shirts to silk scarves.⁠ Kate's design 'Whizzing About' features a midnight blue background with bursts of orange, red and pink in a chequerboard pattern with tangerine shapes reminiscent of fireworks and citrus fruits.⁠

"I loved creating a print to be used on such a large scale - towels are not something I have ever designed before. I also loved the opportunity to meet (even virtually) with other Scottish designers involved in the project. And it's very cool and exciting to have my design in V&A Dundee."

Kate works with appliqué to create prints directly onto garments, as well as creating digital prints for fashion and accessories. She trained in screen printing and describes her current practice as "joyful, colourful and busy - I want the viewer to see something different each time they look at it. I love the process of cutting out shapes and building a print playfully, with no firm idea in mind for the outcome. I am mostly inspired by the way nature interacts with the built up environment. I work alone currently but I would love to collaborate with a fashion designer."

Local Heroes, founded by design curator and exhibition maker Dr Stacey Hunter, is a curatorial studio that connects audiences with contemporary Scottish design and craft.

All products are available on the museum plaza, in our shop or online.