Rose Prince

I am a UK-based textile designer specialising in weaving, currently studying BA Textile Design at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London. My practice is rooted in material exploration and craft-led processes, using woven textiles as a way to translate lived experience into functional objects. I am particularly interested in how materials communicate cultural values, and how certain materials come to be associated with professionalism, status, and authority. A key focus of my work is the tension between rural and urban identities. This interest developed through my move from a rural environment to London, where I became increasingly aware of the visual and material language of corporate life. This experience directly informed The Barr Case, a briefcase that combines traditional British fleece with polished leather. The project deliberately places these materials in contrast: wool, associated with warmth, slowness, and pastoral heritage, sits alongside leather, a material widely understood as a symbol of corporate professionalism, durability, and mobility. By merging them within a recognisable object, I aim to question why leather has become the default material of professional accessories, and why craft-based textiles are often excluded from these spaces. My engagement with leather is conceptual as well as practical. I am interested in leather as a culturally dominant material that reinforces hierarchies of labour and value, particularly within urban working environments. Through weaving and material juxtaposition, I seek to introduce friction between industrial polish and hand-led craft, encouraging reflection on sustainability, tradition, and material appropriateness. Alongside my academic practice, I have gained industry and studio experience through placements with Margo Selby Studio, AW Hainsworth, Lucy Rowan Weaving Studio, and Dobby & Rose, and I have worked closely with textile artist Ann Sutton OBE since 2024. These experiences have strengthened my technical skills in loom setup, pattern development, and professional production contexts. Running parallel to my design practice is my ongoing work supporting people living with dementia. This experience has deeply influenced my sensitivity to tactility, comfort, and emotional connection, reinforcing my belief that textiles can function not only as design objects, but as meaningful human interfaces.