From crystal-clad eggs to inspiring global fashion designers, Kate Sutton creates visual feasts beyond anything you’ve ever seen.
When Kate Sutton pops up on my computer screen, I’m immediately taken in by her magical aura and vibes. Wrapped in a pink and embroidered kimono, large, joyful tassel earrings dangling from her ears and her dark brown curls effortlessly piled on her head, there are no signs of fatigue as she chirpily chats to me about her latest project. Kate has just returned from a four-day production for which she worked night shifts.
Less than a minute into our conversation, we are joined by a ginger cat, which, Kate tells me, belongs to her neighbour. “I’ve also got a ginger cat, but these two have fallen in love with each other, so he’s always here.” She smiles as the cat collects a few moments of fuss before moving on and out of my sight. “When I first moved into my place here and left my door open, the cats from around the neighbourhood came in. I once woke up and all these cats surrounded my bed”, she laughs.
It’s not just the feline kind that seems bewitched by this intriguing woman. Kate Sutton’s inimitable set designs embody the most magical scenes out of seemingly ordinary and everyday things: Her favourite item to work with is a fried egg (“You can do anything with it, put glitter on it, stub a cigarette butt in it…”), which featured on the artwork that made me stop, stare, and drew me into Kate Sutton’s world. She designed the cover art for her close friend, singer-songwriter Charles, for his EP Gorgeous, Sick and Tired, released late last year. Playing on his love for a ‘proper’ cooked English breakfast, the design didn’t just see Charles seemingly contort himself and become part of the breakfast table; it also made the humble elements of a fry-up look like the press shoots for a Hollywood blockbuster.
In what feels like a full-circle moment for me, I read Charles’ words in which he first introduced me to her: “I’ve never met someone like her before. I’d love to see the world the way she does. She sees the beauty in the most everyday things, and she is such an amazing person who really elevated my career.” I also mention some images I found from her portfolio that captivated me instantly: A jelly-gugelhupf made of a layer of baked beans, peas, whipped cream and a strawberry on top, a bejewelled cleaning bottle and Swarovski crystal-clad pink eggs (“You don’t realize till you start putting little crystals on an egg, how much space is on a boiled egg! It took me days to do it!”) – Kate has the ability to turn everyday items into something extraordinary.
My curiosity in Kate’s ingenious ideas and her ability to turn anything into an item of luxury makes me wonder and ask her when she realised that she had a very special talent.
“Bringing visions to life is very much connected to spirituality for me”, Kate tells me. “My dad was an art director, so he was very encouraging of me being creative from the get-go. I also went to art college. But prior to this, I had an accident. I was a bit of a tomboy, and I always used to climb up stuff. So I had this accident, and my heart stopped. They say that when you die, your brain gets flooded with DMT (N, N-Dimethyltryptamine, a naturally occurring serotonergic hallucinogen). It makes you see things as if you’re tripping. And I think since then, I see things differently, like creative visions. When I go out, everything’s really colourful and I see things really vividly. I think that definitely has a connection to how I portray shoots and my work. Everything has lots of colour and lots of texture. It’s all very bold and trippy in my head. Like surrealism.”
Spirituality is something that has been weaving through Kate’s life long before her accident and influenced her perception and observations in the world. Even as a young child, her mother noticed that Kate could predict certain things. Kate tells me that she tunes that psychic ability into a deep understanding of what her clients envisage her to create. “They explain what they want and I already get it. It’s like a connection between me and their reactive vision – as if I can almost read their mind.” Kate also enlightens me about the Age of Aquarius and its impact on creativity and the standing of artists in our day and age. “It’s very much a prolific time for artists, writers, and creatives. All of us have to unite and realise our own power as creatives and artists. It’s an interesting time to be alive in these times as an artist.”
Kate’s path to where she is today, being flown around the world to style fashion shoots and dress tables in the Maldives for The Four Seasons, didn’t happen by pure chance and magic, though. Doing face painting as a teenager led her to become a make-up artist and stylist. From there, she went on to dress windows for Top Shop, which she credits for learning the basics of being a set designer. “It’s where I learnt problem-solving and how to make something look expensive even if you don’t have a budget.”
After a stint at Selfridges, Kate started doing festival productions and eventually got her foot into the fashion industry to take part in fashion shoots. “I started assisting an art director, and the first shoots that I did with him were for GQ, Wonderland and Red Magazine. I even did a shoot with Vivian Westwood, which was amazing!”
Kate recalls that her work as an assistant was invaluable and helped her learn about set design. She admits, however, that she never got paid for it, at least not at first. “I was working other jobs on the side. “I’d work on set with him [the art director] and then I’d go and work at a pub at night. In the long run, I knew it was going to be beneficial for me; it was a way to get a foot in the door.” Kate eventually did get paid, but warns that the industry can be tough. “Experience is your payment; you build up your portfolio. I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s different in the creative industry.” Nevertheless, she believes that whatever you put in, you gain back tenfold. “Keep producing, keep doing what you love, and then the paid jobs will eventually come. They really do.”
Having worked with clients from all different backgrounds and budgets, Kate says that her favourite customers are those who trust her and her vision and give her the freedom to work her magic. Others want to see every little detail and need to know how she is creating the design. Being a big believer in kindness, Kate tells me she meets everyone with the same level of professionalism. “I understand it gets stressful, but I would never be rude to anyone. I spoke to someone recently who said it’s like some of those people [who are working on fashion shoots] act like they’re doing God’s work! And the fashion industry is cut-throat – you get PTSD from working with some people!” Kate laughs, but it’s evident she’s deadly serious. She candidly admits that she’s been told she was too sensitive and too empathetic for the industry. “I don’t think I’m too sensitive”, she muses, then her expression turns fierce. “I just don’t think they’ve been very nice.”
Nevertheless, she has also met some kinder souls. “I’ve worked with some amazing people who are chill, kind and friendly. To anyone experiencing similar things as I have, I’d just say: Kill them with kindness and prove yourself. Be professional, show them what you can produce and do a good job. And then they can’t say anything.”
Despite her quarrels with snobbery in the fashion industry, it’s the place she enjoys creating sets for photo shoots the most. “I do love fun fashion editorials. That’s when my heart sings. And one day I want to direct a fashion film. No dialogue, no words, I’ll create a story with just visuals. That’s a pipeline dream of mine. Years ago, I got a tarot reading, and they said they saw me as a film director. I can see that, too. Gelling fashion and film together.”
For someone so immersed in creativity, can Kate ever truly switch off, or is her mind always in motion? “I am all for a peaceful mind”, she tells me, “but I’ll go for a walk in the park and I’ll see something and it will get my imagination going. I think I’m constantly being inspired by even just strolling along the street. So no, I don’t think my brain ever really turns off. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s not like I’m constantly thinking. I’m just inspired by everything. For example, there’s a cigarette butt on the floor, and you’ll see just that. But I’ll tell you that it looks like a piece of art because it’s got lipstick on the end. I liken it to Lily Allen’s video LDN. She’s walking around London and everything looks really beautiful. But the reality of it is that she’s walking through a bit of a shithole. She’s still seeing the beauty of it, though, and that’s creatively what my mind is like.”
Talking about memorable moments of her career so far, Kate says that working on a Duran Duran music video was one of them. Seeing the band whose music she grew up with, thanks to her parents, was surreal. Another one was when she found herself on set with the iconic Vivienne Westwood. Kate had been obsessed with the punk era, and her first project in art college was on the eccentric late fashion designer. “I never thought I would meet her or even get to work with her”, she says, before she admits that her encounter with Vivienne Westwood was extraordinary in more than one way.
“I also have a fashion brand, called Button and Panache, which is very much inspired by the Pearly Kings and Queens and Judy Blame. Blame once collaborated with Moschino for the runway: He’d gone round with a metal detector and got all these random objects, and then sewed them onto berets. And my berets are inspired by this. When I was working with Vivienne Westwood, I gave her one of my hats, which led to a discussion about Judy Blame. And she said, ‘Oh, I hate Judy Blame.’ I wasn’t having that, so I said: ‘No, I like Judy Blame!’ Vivienne Westwood raised her eyebrows at me and was holding the beret, rubbing her fingers over the buttons. Then she said, ‘I really appreciate you giving this to me, but I won’t wear it. And I won’t give it to anyone.’ – and gave it back to me! Fast forward two years, and people were sending me pictures of berets that Westwood had made. They looked like my berets. So, I don’t know if she was inspired by me, but what a massive compliment if she was!”
Being so deeply rooted within the creative realm, I wonder what advice Kate would give anyone who, inspired by her artistry, would like to venture into set design or a similar creative field.
“I think it’s really important right now to not hide behind social media. Instead, talk to everyone, create connections with those you meet. Find out about people, be interested and ask them questions. I think it’s important because a lot of people don’t really know how to engage with one another anymore. I’d also say, get out and put yourself out there, because most of the jobs that I get are through word of mouth. I don’t have a ton of followers on social media, but it’s quality over quantity. So, just be aware that your followers alone are not going to get you the jobs. And finally, make yourself memorable. Even if you just make someone laugh, people will remember that. And they’ll remember you for your good energy. We’re all about being in love and loving people. That’s what makes us happy.”
As my time with Kate comes to a close, I wonder whether she can bottle up the magic that guides her creative work and share it with me. Thinking back to Charles, I agree that you’ll never meet anyone like her; someone who appears to have ingenious ideas flowing to and from her in an eclectic stream of otherworldly inspiration. Her softness stands in sharp contrast to the cut-throat industry she works in. Yet, it’s exactly that difference that elevates her work and turns everything she touches into mesmerising visuals. She doesn’t just transform a fried egg into a glossy piece of art, but redefines everything we ever thought possible within visual artistry. Be it her clothes line, her table dressing venture or her future project as a film director – Kate Sutton will continue to beautify everything she touches with her visionary talent – and a sparkle of magic.
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