The beautiful new Sea Leaf and Sea Leaf Stripe prints are inspired by the pretty strands of seaweed that wash up on Mustique's beaches.
We asked Lotty about the inspiration behind this print and she also told us a little about the impact of this plant on the Caribbean:
"Sargassum has been plaguing the beaches of the Caribbean Islands since 2011 and now brings to mind rotting and unsightly beaches that used to be stunningly beautiful, pristine, white sandy pockets of paradise. It is no wonder then, that no one wants to hear the word, nor give it credit for its invaluable place in the ecosystem of the ocean.
Before the first real influx of this algae on our shores, we would occasionally see a pretty strand of Sargassum washed up on the sand.
This delicate sea plant is made up of long, slim leaves of a beautiful pale greeny-yellow colour with serrated edges and dotted with little berries that, filled with air, keep the plant floating on the surface of the sea to eventually wash in on the waves.
It was definitely worthy of being picked up as a beach find, to be studied and sketched and became part of numerous designs of mine including the 'Turtle Trellis' print which remains one of our Pink House "Classics".
It was the inspiration behind one of my new indoor/outdoor fabrics and I subsequently adapted the design for our linen and swim print for 2025."
A little about the important role of Sargassum:
We know that the berry-like structures of the plant are actually gas-filled structures, called pneumatocysts, which are filled mostly with oxygen. These add buoyancy to the plant structure and allow it to float on the surface.
A floating raft of Sargassum can provide food, habitat and breeding grounds for an array of animals such as fish, sea turtles, marine birds, crabs, shrimps and more.
When Sargassum loses its buoyancy and eventually sinks to the seafloor, it provides carbon energy to fish and invertebrates in the deep sea, thus serving as a potentially important addition to deep-sea food webs.
However, when the delicate harmony of nature falls out of kilter, Sargassum inundation events can occur and rafts of this algae are carried to shore by winds and currents.
Massive amounts of Sargassum can form brown tides near the shoreline, smothering fauna and flora — including precious coral reefs. Sargassum mats may also clog water intake pipes used in critical infrastructure (for example, in desalination plants that produce drinking water).
Sargassum also contains high levels of arsenic and other heavy metals, organic contaminants and marine debris. When decomposing on the beach it produces hydrogen sulphide, a gas that smells like rotten eggs, which can cause respiratory irritation.
It is for all of these reasons that we appreciate how these inundation events adversely impact coastal ecosystems, tourism, and public health as clean-up options are limited and costly.
The United Nations Environment Program has called for increased international cooperation to understand the causes and impact of sargassum invasions and to find ways to help the countries affected.
Lotty finished by saying: " Despite the negative impact, the plant itself remains as pretty as ever when seen as individual little strands, and hopefully time will find a way to bring it back in line with nature's balance. In the meantime, I continue to include it in my designs and I hope you will enjoy this year's prints: 'Sea Leaf Repeat' and 'Sea Leaf Stripe"
