“Playful pattern with a story - it’s what we do best”

Tom recalls, “We wanted to respect the design styles of the arts & crafts movement of the Victorian era but found those traditional prints weren’t quite quirky enough.  I’m an avid collector of curiosities and all things kitsch and wanted to inject some of this passion and personality into our home decor.”   

Their first design, inspired by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, was based on both Tom and Jamie’s love of cocktails.  Deco Martini became the first wallpaper put into production, now a longstanding bestseller, and Divine Savages was born.

Determined to do interiors their way,  Jamie, whilst working a full time job in TV, worked on the commercial side, building the backbones for what is now a thriving business.  Tom left his job as a graphic designer to focus on creating an initial range of prints for wallpapers and fabrics, fine-tuning the look of Divine Savages that we now know to be flamboyant, eccentric and quirky. 

“We wanted to nurture a passion for daring design. To help our customers be braver in their choice of pattern and bolder in their choice of colour. We want to celebrate both the divine and the savage in us all.” 

Taking inspiration from history, culture, fashion and the natural world to create an eclectic mix of influences, they have, to date, created myriad designs whose personalities come across just as much in their names as they do visually.  Take for instance Zsa Zsa, inspired by old 1920’s Hollywood technicolour movies, “Zsa Zsa is our party girl, she represents both the divine and savage sides of us.  She’s glam, sophisticated and she loves a party” says Tom.

“Our designs lend quirky character & charm proving that we needn’t stop being playful, even in the most elegant of spaces.”

In the years that followed many iconic designs were born including Crane Fonda, a fabulously elegant grey crowned crane amongst lush palm trees, Gershwing, inspired by the decadence of Art Deco, and Forbidden Bloom, the product of a 2019 collaboration with the world famous Natural History Museum in London.

In line with their commitment towards a sustainable future, Divine Savages fabrics, wallpapers and lampshades are all made in the UK.  “We work closely with our British suppliers to create beautiful products, quality and care is utmost.” says Jamie.  “Small-batch production means we don’t overproduce. We have a seasonless approach to design, with the emphasis on quality and forever style over fleeting trends.”  adds Tom.

Due to celebrate its 5th birthday in 2022, Divine Savages has quickly become a success story both in the UK and abroad with a growing fanbase in the USA, adorning the homes of Beau Ciolino & Matt Armatto of Probably This, authors of the recently published book “Housewarming: A guide to creating a home you adore”, along with the hugely popular Instagram doyennes @arianna_danielson, Kyla Herbes aka @houseofhisptersblog and Laurel Harrop, founder of @bustylush, who says “I cannot remember how I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Divine Savages, but what I will tell you is that the brand literally helped inspire the design of my house in Palm Springs, CA. Tom and Jamie have created such a fresh, fabulous, tasteful, and sophisticated line of wall coverings and fabrics. There is a quality and aesthetic that is not like any I could find in the US. Divine Savages is an absolute experience. I feel so blessed to have found them that I sometimes don’t even want to share them with anyone else!!”

“We are proud to be launching our brand officially in the USA this year at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. We are so excited to showcase our collections in this iconic city, steeped in Art Deco design history, a period we’ve been influenced by since we started Divine Savages. It’s a huge milestone in our brand’s history to date and we look forward to meeting with both buyers and press who share our passion for eclectic and original luxury design. We believe we have a unique offering for the US market comprising both the quirk and playfulness of British history paired with the daring attitude of our American friends that we have long admired and wanted to inspire".