Supporting British Industry & Craftsmanship
A north London-based manufacturer of upholstered furniture. Their range covers both contract and domestic markets, combining in-house designs with collaborations from external designers and architects.
The company was founded in 1971 by designers Tristam and Hazel Mylius, who were frustrated by what they saw as a lack of modern design in British-made furniture, compared with the output from Italy and Scandanavia. Their first design - the HM11 seating system, which is still sold today as HM18 was a success in Liberty in the early 1970s. That and other pieces were then stocked by the Conran Shop. In 1995 the company moved to its current Art Deco premises in Ponders End, near Enfield's huge Brimsdown industrial area. Whilst there are other upholstered-furniture makers in the capital, most are producing for the residential market. Their furniture goes mostly into offices, healthcare settings and transport hubs. They make 5000-6000 pieces a year, from footstools to corner sofas.
"A bustling workspace with a huge amount of skills under one roof. Each of the various work stations had their own atmosphere - from the hectic ground-floor upholstery workshop with the radio blaring to the calm and quiet of the upstairs fabric room where patterns were cut and fabric sewn. It was great to see the pride they all took in the work." Carmel King photographed Hitch Mylius in November 2021 for Made in London.
