Described simply as our “most luxurious collaboration to date” by Home Furnishings Business, we’re delighted to unveil our collection with passementerie powerhouse, Samuel & Sons, on 3rd November. Before we begin on design specifics, a little setting the scene storytelling if we may…
About Samuel & Sons
Passementerie, the French art of fine trimming, defines the soul of Samuel & Sons. Founded by Samuel Cohen, the third-generation family brand has spent decades earning the trust of top interior designers globally, offering an unrivaled archive of over 10,000 items.
Samuel & Sons believes that great design is defined by the details. According to President Michael Cohen, trimming elevates a space by adding the final layer of color, texture, and dimension. By focusing exclusively on trim, the company is able to obsess over every detail, ensuring that each construction achieves exactly what its designers envision. That singular focus also pushes Samuel & Sons to think beyond traditional design, creating everything from very modern, understated details to elaborate, classical passementerie. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Three generations of experience have given the company tremendous knowledge of the craft, as well as longstanding relationships with some of the finest craftsmen, artisans, and manufacturers around the world.
However, Cohen notes that preserving a craft doesn’t mean standing still, but constantly considering how to push passementerie forward, and the company’s most exciting innovations come from combining artisanal knowledge and age-old techniques with contemporary materials, technology, and creative thinking. This approach allows Samuel & Sons to continually redefine what trimming can be: a design tool that adds dimension, movement, and a sense of artistry to a room.
From idea to innovation
The collaboration between Samuel & Sons and Pooky evolved from a shared passion for color, pattern, and detail.
“What connects our brands is that we're both expanding what's possible within our categories. Whether it's our 10,000 trims or Pooky's mix-and-match shades and bases, we give designers endless ways to personalize their projects.
The partnership felt natural because our team was already bringing Pooky lamps into our showrooms and embellishing them with trim for our displays," explains Cohen. "It was something we already loved doing, so as soon as Jo stepped in with her creative vision for the collection, we knew we had something special."
At its heart, the collection fuses two distinct disciplines into one cohesive narrative. While Samuel & Sons brings decades of passementerie heritage, translating texture, movement, and dimension into intricate trims, Pooky brings its signature playful approach to lighting, transforming lamp shades into bold design statements.
The process focused on pushing boundaries. Jo Plant, Pooky Chief Creative Officer explains “we wanted to create something completely unexpected. Everyone does fringe on a lamp shade, so we’ve taken it up a notch. The trimmings feel like a natural fit for our shades, but with an element of surprise, they really are miniature works of art, handcrafted in the finest materials.
Samuel & Sons are absolute masters of their craft, and working with a team that constantly pushes design boundaries has been a joy. The collection allows everyone to bring a little slice of Samuel & Sons luxury to their home.”
Both brands share a fundamental philosophy: design should inspire endless personalization rather than dictate it.
From canvas to camera
What inspired the concept? Pooky’s Chief Creative Officer, Jo Plant, originally pictured this collection tucked into “the chicest cocktail bars and members' clubs across London, Paris, and New York.” When it came to photographing the collection, the goal was to bring that exact same high-spirited, ‘elevated bar’ energy right into the home, blending the refined luxury of Samuel & Sons with the vibrant, joyful personality of Pooky.
“Our stylist, Miranda Sinclair, was absolute magic in bridging those two worlds. The moment we mentioned bringing the party home, she knew the exact location to tell the story.”
The anchor of the shoot was an early mockup of the Taos pendants suspended over a bar. From there, the stylist mapped out the concept by painting darling little watercolors of each room. These visual blueprints were a springboard for extra details, backdrops, and vignettes long before the cameras started rolling, ensuring every drop of playfulness, warmth, and surprise was captured on set. And thus, the concept was cemented, with plenty of scenes from a highly spirite soirée and including a few nods to ‘the morning after’ for good measure.
Think of it as a delightfully posh party, full of charm, quality, and personality!
Sign up to hear as soon as the Samuel & Sons collection is ready to shop on 3rd November.