For hand embroiderer Amelia Merrick, creating a lasting impression of her work is of paramount importance. Amelia explores illustrative qualities through her work whilst also maintaining sustainability at the core of her practice. As a 2024 graduate from the Royal School of Needlework, she creates impactful and bold patterns through combining hand embroidery techniques and found materials. She finds research fundamental to the creation of her work as it informs the media and aesthetic of her hand embroidery.

Amelia gathers inspiration from unique sources such as manmade objects. She finds interest in the juxtaposition and perception of hand embroidery, enjoying the challenge of how she can mirror a subject through this medium. For Amelia, embroidery and textiles provide her with an exciting process, which allows her to create in a way she finds cannot be achieved through other media as it has a uniquely illustrative and textural quality.

Sustainability is at the core of her practice as she believes fashion has a major ethical and environmental impact on our world. Amelia is confident that through her practice using second-hand, waste, and deadstock materials, she will make a positive contribution. Amelia has had the opportunity to work freelance for a variety of fashion Studios including Alexander McQueen, Erdem, and Dame Zandra Rhodes. These have provided her with experience within the fashion industry and the way different studios operate. From working on one-off couture pieces, to mending items from archives, these opportunities have sparked Amelia’s enthusiasm for her career in fashion.

During her time at the Royal School of Needlework, Amelia received The Victoria Adams Award. She also had the opportunity to work on live projects for companies such as Maddux Creative and Fromental, working on items for interiors, as well as helping to archive costumes for Cosprop. These have given her knowledge and experience with other sectors relating to embroidery, which have helped to broaden her practice.