Ellie Mosley (Printed Textiles BA, 2019) and Iona Graham (Business BSc, 2019) first met while studying at Loughborough. Although their careers took different paths after graduation, they remained in touch through social media, following one another’s professional journeys with interest as each progressed into their family business.
Ellie’s family business is Phoenox Textiles, manufacturing the Hug Rug. Heritage interiors brand Graham & Brown – Iona's family business – is joining forces with Phoenox Textiles to launch a new rug collection.
Exploring potential brand partnerships for Phoenox Textiles, Ellie thought of Graham & Brown:
"I'd always felt Graham & Brown's designs would translate beautifully onto rugs," she said. "I dropped Iona a message and asked whether they had ever considered expanding into rugs. Thankfully, they had and were already looking for a company to work with."
The new collection combines Graham & Brown's distinctive in-house designs with Hug Rug's British-made flooring expertise.
The companies
Founded in 1954 by Ellie’s great-grandfather, Jack Mosley, Phoenox Textiles remains a Yorkshire-based manufacturer and one of the few companies still producing flooring products in the UK. The business is a significant employer in the local area, with multiple generations of local families having worked on the factory floor. Through its Hug Rug brand and retail partnerships, Phoenox Textiles supplies products ranging from doormats to rugs for some of the UK's largest retailers.
Graham & Brown was established in 1946 by Harold Graham and Henry Brown and has grown from a wallpaper manufacturer into an international interiors retailer. Based in Blackburn, Lancashire, the fourth-generation family business now offers wallpapers, paints, bespoke murals, soft furnishings, bed linen and wall art, drawing inspiration from an archive of more than 50,000 original designs collected over nearly 80 years.
Collaboration
For Iona, the collaboration felt like a natural fit.
"Both brands share a similar ethos, with British craftsmanship, sustainability and a blend of heritage and contemporary design at the heart of their businesses.
"Bringing Graham & Brown's beautiful in-house designs to the iconic Hug Rug style was an exciting opportunity, made even more authentic by the many synergies between the two companies. I was delighted when Ellie reached out last year with the idea of the two brands working together and it felt like a natural and quite special next step for us both."
The project has seen Ellie and Iona work closely together at every stage, from adapting wallpaper designs for rugs to overseeing photography and creative direction for the campaign.
"This collaboration has brought two British manufacturers together through two women who are both fourth-generation members of their family businesses, and that feels really special to us." said Ellie.
Loughborough studies
For Ellie, the project also demonstrates the value of her degree. She credits her Printed Textiles studies at Loughborough with providing the technical knowledge and design expertise that have shaped her career:
“Although I am incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity of a family business, I truly believe I wouldn’t have been of real value to Phoenox without my degree from Loughborough. The knowledge and skills I gained gave me the credibility and expertise to contribute meaningfully to the business and that has only grown with every collection since.”
Another Loughborough alum, Leonie Richards (Printed Textiles BA, 2006), who now works at Phoenox Textiles, also played a key role in bringing the collection to life.
Similarly, Iona says studying International Business at Loughborough helped her develop the commercial understanding and collaborative approach she has carried through roles in the London fashion industry and now into Graham & Brown.
"At Graham & Brown, collaboration is core to our culture, and I always felt that collaborative nature at Loughborough throughout my studies," she said.
"It's something I've taken with me, and it extends to working with wonderful businesses like Hug Rug.
"As fourth-generation family businesses, we're both committed to innovating while staying true to our roots.
"Bringing together two heritage British brands with shared values has resulted in a collaboration that feels both meaningful and exciting. We can't wait to launch the collection and see how customers style the designs in their homes."