ABOUT ALISON

I was never bored.

My earliest memory is of drawing. I could create a world of my own with pencil on paper and when I discovered modelling clay it became more real.

Harbutt’s Plasticene was the best. It became creations of fantasy and it began to foster my quest for
detailed perfection.

At college I studied cabinet making, plastic and metal technology and ceramic design. I enjoyed all disciplines but chose to study Ceramics and Glass at the Royal College of Art. I supplemented my grant by selling hand made bottles of miniature clay Liquorice Allsorts to Christopher Strangeways’ shop in World’s End, Chelsea and learned woodturning on a minute scale which flourished into my first business. Henry Rothschild at Primavera in Cambridge sold my work and soon I had developed a clientele of collectors of my tiny treen.

In 1980, my workshop was in a wharf at Wapping, London; I made some chimney pots for a vast scale
village used in a White Horse ‘Large scotch’ advertisement.

More challenging model making projects turned into a thriving business providing props for film and TV commercials. Clients included Benson Hedges, Silk Cut and Cadbury’s - working with Director Tony Scott,
and Park Village Productions.

I moved to New York, married, became Alison Louttit and progressed from working on Peewee’s Playhouse
to the contrastingly calm world as staff designer at Tiffany&Co. Breakfast at Tiffany’s was a bagel and
cream cheese at my desk overlooking Central Park. It was an amazing company under the creative director John Loring, who believed in his designers and was an inspiration. As any woman knows ’Nothing in that small blue box ever offends’!

Since being back in London, I have continued to design and illustrate. My style is light hearted, witty with attention to detail.
At Debenhams I joined their fast paced team to create ‘on trend’ home ware in resin, melamine, wood, glass and metal. At Crabtree & Evelyn I helped to extend their product ranges beyond their gorgeous toiletries.

Amongst the projects for Asprey, I designed and made the models for a modern stirling silver ‘humour range’ and an extensive christening collection.

Since then I have developed gifts for several independent museum shops including The Sherlock Holmes Museum. I work to enhance that 'End of exhibition' experience.
The Natural History of Umbracula is my first book . I am currently finishing the next one .