As an artist, Rebecca Moses is prone to taking the unfamiliar route.
The self-described bohemian is known for her whimsical fashion illustrations, vibrant portraitures celebrating women, imperfectly perfect mannequins, her own fashion collections, and as former head designer of the Italian ready-to-wear brand Genny. Now, Moses’ artistic journey has led her to another means of expression — wallpaper. She’s collaborating with Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering, a large U.S. supplier of contract textiles and wall coverings for commercial interiors, on the “Rebecca Moses x Momentum” collection.
“I’m taking my portraiture and turning it into manipulated prints,” Moses told WWD. “I have always wanted to do wallpaper. I love wallpaper and anything on walls.”
Specifically, her wallpaper designs are for the hospitality industry. “Hotels are really looking to diversify their look, and to give individual voices to the travel experience” Moses said. While targeting the hospitality sector with the new collection, Moses said her wallpaper designs are suitable for restaurants, hospitals, office buildings and other commercial spaces.
From the “Rebecca Moses x Momentum” wallpaper collection.
In designing the collection Moses has deconstructed two of her best-known paintings of women, “The Queen” and the “Kimono Lady,” pulling elements from each to create 10 distinct wall covering prints. For example, the Queen’s brooch and necklace, and the Queen herself, are design elements in the collection. There’s actually far more than 10 choices considering the variety of colors and treatments Moses incorporated into the collection. Additionally, the collection features Moses’s painted women figures and her watercolor chair illustrations. To complement Moses’ wall coverings, Momentum has curated a selection of textiles, allowing designers to mix and match.
The “Rebecca Moses x Momentum” collection will be presented at Boutique Design New York (BDNY) trade show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan Sunday and Monday. The event is geared for those involved in the design and development of boutique hotels.
For the show, Moses, in conjunction with Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering, created what she described as a mini hotel with a bar, a bedroom and a coffee salon. “I call it the Hotel des Artistes,” she said. “It’s all about taking art and creating experiences.” In addition, an exhibit of the collection is being planned for New York in January.
Moses was fortuitously introduced to officials from Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering at a conference in Palm Springs in 2022. “They saw my work and we said, let’s do something together. I think it’s going to be an ongoing collaboration. We have such energy together.” Momentum has a track record of collaborating with artists, including Yinka Ilori, Sheila Hicks, Shantell Martin, Aleksandra Gaca and others.
“Momentum prides itself on fostering collaborations that push the boundaries of commercial design through storytelling,” said Jennifer Nye, Momentum’s chief marketing and creative officer, in a statement. “Our partnership with Rebecca Moses is a powerful example of this commitment. Her ability to capture individuality and personality through her art aligns perfectly with our vision to create commercial spaces that empower individuals to tell compelling stories.”
Moses explained: “Each of us has a backstory. What I’m doing with Momentum is allowing people to look at the beauty within each person, as well as the power within them. By championing ourselves and our own individuality, we’re helping designers to break boundaries and create commercial spaces that tell stories about the beauty of mixing things up.”
From the “Rebecca Moses x Momentum” wallpaper collection.
