Annabel Thornton
Hand Embroidery BA
Royal School of Needlework
Graduates: 2026
Specialisms: Embroidery / Textiles for Fashion / Textile Innovation/Textile Art
My location: London, United Kingdom
Annabel Thornton
First Name: Annabel
Last Name: Thornton
University / College: Royal School of Needlework
Course / Program: Hand Embroidery BA
Graduates: 2026
Specialisms: Embroidery / Textiles for Fashion / Textile Innovation/Textile Art
My Location: London, United Kingdom
About
Location lies at the heart of Annabel Thornton’s hand embroidery practice. As a contemporary artist and designer, she draws inspiration from her recent travels and from places rich with personal and cultural meaning, with Wales being one of her most significant sources of influence.Through her work, she traces a visual journey that celebrates the awe of hidden beauty, often drawing attention to subtle details within landscapes that might otherwise go unnoticed. Annabel frequently incorporates found objects into her designs. These unexpected items are collected along the way, allowing each piece to carry the memory and meaning of the places that inspired it. Her creative process always begins with a sketchbook. Using a range of mark-making techniques, she captures the details and essence of her subject. Sometimes the subject itself guides the marks she creates; at other times, the marks are used to express movement and energy within the scene. This fluid process of exploration is then developed further through Photoshop, where her drawings begin to take shape as visual compositions that guide and inform her final embroidered pieces.Experiences in North Wales continue to shape the stories and landscapes reflected in her pieces. Constantly seeking to challenge herself, she is eager to explore new ideas and emerging trends, pushing creative boundaries and questioning what is considered the “norm” within contemporary embroidery and design.Her work is often highly textured, expressive, and playful, frequently incorporating elements of sparkle and embellishment. Colour is also central to her practice. From carefully curated monochrome pieces to bold neon palettes, Annabel embraces the full spectrum, experimenting with contrast and intensity to create work that feels curious, vibrant and sensorial. This sensibility also shapes her interest in fashion. During her studies at the Royal School of Needlework, Annabel has worked as a freelance embroiderer on collections for Tamara Ralph, Stella McCartney, and EricaMyat, contributing behind the scenes at London Fashion week, contributing behind the scenes while gaining valuable insight into the fast-paced nature of the fashion industry and its highly specialised techniques.In her second year, a live project with Alexander McQueen offered fresh perspectives and further propelled her artistic development. Annabel has also collaborated with Cathryn Avison, assisting in the embroidery of dresses for Rapunzel in the live-action Tangled film.She was also honoured to receive a bursary from the Worshipful Company of Merchant Tailors.
the ebb, the flow, the infinite
The Ebb, The Flow, The Infinite is an embroidered coat and head adornment by hand embroiderer Annabel Thornton that explores the interconnection between sea and sky, between the tangible and the celestial, inspired by reflections of one in the other. Memories spent along the North Wales coast form the starting point, the designs reflect the rhythm of the ocean, the abstract forms of the shifting sandy slopes and the immersive light and patterns that evoke the dark abyss at night. The meeting of sea and sand mirrors the rhythm of breath - an endless ebb and flow - whilst the shifting sky reflects the constant movement of life itself; no two sunsets or sunrises are ever the same, just as no two days unfold alike. Annabel’s approach to creating layered textures allows for a dimensional and expressive approach to embroidery, where the surface becomes sculptural, where the areas of added depth feel varied and alive under both the eye and the hand. Through the use of goldwork embroidery, beads, sequins and found shells, Annabel creates a sense of movement and depth. The varying heights of the embellished surface guide the viewer on a journey that echoes the natural flow of existence, following the movement of one’s being from the sea to the sky. Each stitch echoes curves and ripples, mirroring the dance of the sea and the sky. The embroidered lines seamlessly blend from top to bottom, flowing organically and connecting as smoothly as water itself. Central to this piece is Annabel's carefully considered colour palette. The composition transitions from transparent whites at the top to strong greys and deep blacks, evoking both the clarity of the sea and the intensity of the night sky. This gradual shift allows the garment to hold two atmospheres at once: the celestial brightness of the stars above the dark, obscured stillness of the water beneath. Using shells collected from the coastline, Annabel adorns each one with silver leaf, creating a subtle shine that catches along their ridges like starlight reflected across the sea. These once living forms carry quiet traces of the ocean, embedding the garment with a sense of memory and place. Black serves as the foundation for her embroidery, where tailored Melton wool introduces a feeling of starkness and rigidity. Against this structured base, dripping chains and delicate beadwork bring movement and playfulness, softening the surface and allowing the piece to shimmer with a quiet, animated energy. Beneath her work sits a layer of personal meaning and exploration through the memories of small towns down the peninsula of North Wales. Astronomy has also guided Annabel’s work; star signs, constellations and their associated stories fascinate her. Just as shells and seaweed record the movement of tides and the journeys of sea creatures, the night sky maps myths and symbols that have guided people for centuries. As the area holds the highest percentage of Dark Sky- protected land in the UK, Annabel has witnessed breathtakingly magical views of the Milky Way, which enabled her to expand the celestial dimension of her project, connecting the sea and the shore to the vastness of the universe.
Competitions
