Wilet is in love. This year, we are consumed by our latest collection, A Love Letter to Portugal. Chapter by chapter, we have been unveiling new 100% linen home essentials and next we're thrilled to release the Spring bedding colours — Terracotta and Mint. These two highly anticipated colours will be available in our Sleep collection in June, including an Heirloom Quilt in Terracotta (one word: showstopper). To take us on a trip through these limited time additions, we caught up with Wilet co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Anna Heyd, to learn about the inspiration behind the infatuation.
When did you visit Portugal?
"I visited Portugal in September of 2021. And I went because we'd started working with Portuguese manufacturers in 2020, but those are relationships had been built over Zoom and emails up to that point. This was the first opportunity for me to travel, meet them in person and potentially establish relationships with more suppliers. That weekend was also home textiles Fashion Week in Guimarães, Portugal, so it was the perfect time to go explore."
What about Portugal inspired a love letter?
"There's a lot of romanticism in Europe. Like a lot of people, travelling was something I so desperately missed during the pandemic. So, getting to go drink Portuguese wine, eat Portuguese food and soak in that culture after two years of not being able to go anywhere felt really special.
In the lead up to that, we'd been considering what new products we were going to launch and which colours our community wanted to see in 2022. We knew that the bulk of our product was going to be coming from our Portuguese partners, so when I started to see these incredible colours pop up on my trip, both in the landscape and architecture, it really felt like it was meant to be.
So really...this collection is both a love letter to those moments of inspiration and to the partners we’ve built relationships with in Portugal who help us bring all that inspiration to life."
Tell me a little bit about our production partners in Portugal.
"When it comes to home textiles, there are a few places in the world to do it exceptionally well. And when it comes to linen home textiles, there are even fewer. And through exhaustive research over the last five plus years, we built relationships with our manufacturing partners in China and Lithuania and now are lucky to have several partners in Portugal. They really do exceptional work and align with our values.
The country also has a deep rooted history in textile manufacturing and is working hard to build their reputation on that quality. One of the best things about Portugal is that the vertical integration in Portuguese factories is a lot more prevalent. European flax is sent to Portugal, where it gets milled and spun, and then it gets sent down the street to our manufacturers where it gets woven. For us, when we think about why we do things, the way we do them and the environmental impact of a product traveling, having the least amount of steps is important to us. So, having as closed a loop as possible is also a huge differentiator."
Talk to me about these two new colours. Where did they come from?
"The coral-toned colour, Terracotta, was the first to really stand out. You see it everywhere in the Portuguese roof tiles. It’s bright and goes on for miles, and it's fundamental to the architecture. Then this beautiful blue-green colour, Mint, was actually something we had already started to feature in our Baby & Kids Collection. I felt like I wasn’t quite done with it yet, but couldn’t find a place for it that felt right. Then, I got off the train and Porto and within 10 minutes…there it was! That incredible green, painted all over buildings right there in the city. I was like, 'okay, I see the whole collection. This is how it comes together.' There are more colours that came to me on my trip, but we’ll save talking about those for Fall."
Now, these are Seasonal colours correct? What’s the difference between these and Core colours?
"Correct. So, Wilet started with three colours — Pebble, Cloud and Blush. We call these our Core colours. Curation is incredibly important in our design ethos, so our Core neutrals are the building blocks that can blend from one season to the next. In the last four years, our Core collection has expanded to also include Shell, which is somewhere between a cream and a natural linen, and Pebble Stripe, which is our only pattern right now. Then every Spring and Fall, we want to give our community something more colourful to draw them in and inspire them in their decorating. We run those Seasonal colours for a year, give or take, so the Terracotta you see right now will run until the Spring of 2023.
Having reliable, neutral Core colours and fun, bold Seasonal colours allows people to both build and play with their Sleep collection style."
So, what are your favourite Core/Seasonal combos right now?
"Terracotta and Marigold are amazing together, super bold. Then, I’d say Terracotta and either Blush or Shell is a softer but equally beautiful blend. Mint looks incredible with Sage, and we've got something coming in the Fall that I'm very excited about. My very favourite colour is coming in our Fall collection, so take my word for it…you’ll have some fun choices to mix with Mint later this year."
Paint the picture for us. How do you want people to feel when they’re relaxing in Flax Home this Summer?
"I think of my trip. A beautiful week in September. The leftover fall sunshine. The air smells like eucalyptus, which grows wild everywhere. Driving along you’ll see rolling hillsides in that soft green colour, combined with the orange terracotta roofs. It’s a really lovely vibe.
Where we produce our linen in Portugal is also adjacent to Vinho Verde, a region of Portugal known for making really amazing wine. So, I guess picture yourself sitting in the sun, smelling the eucalyptus, drinking this delicious local wine and dining on incredibly fresh, delicious seafood."
What a vibe. Can we go back?
"Absolutely."
Shop A Love Letter to Portugal in our Bathe Collection in the colour Mint, The Heirloom Collection, and starting in June, our Sleep Collection in the colours Terracotta and Mint. Follow Wilet on Instagram and subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first notified for new launches, sales and exclusive perks.