As a child Gayle Warwick often spent Thanksgiving and Christmas at her grandmother’s house, where dinner would be served on a love-worn, hand-embroidered tablecloth. But it wasn’t until years later on a visit to Vietnam in 1995 that she really began to understand the level of craftsmanship involved in creating such a spectacular piece. ‘The tablecloths that I saw were covered in exquisite embroidery that took hours and hours but the fabrics being used were cheap. I thought, if you’re going to do all this extraordinary decorative work, it should be on a base that will last,’ recalls Gayle. The idea for her eponymous linen business was born. It took three years of research and planning before there was a product to sell; first, she tried unsuccessfully to source high-quality organic cotton and then decided to weave her own.

‘I was a bit naive in wanting to do organic cotton and didn’t realise what it was going to take,’ continues Gayle. ‘It certainly wasn’t a commercial decision, more a labour of love.’ She teamed up with spinners and weavers in Switzerland who used a unique construction to produce a very crisp percale and smooth, soft sateen. That exclusive weave, which is still made today, quickly became her signature. Over time, the under-the-radar brand has expanded its range to encompass so much more than textiles for bedding and dining, with hand embroidered cushion covers, organic towels and cashmere throws sold alongside napkins, placemats, duvet covers and sheets.