Fameed Khalique, Luxury Finishes

Born in Yorkshire to a traditional Pakistani family, he was eager to experience opportunities outside of the context of his upbringing, he began experimenting with fashion. Going on to not only study it but creating the Fashion Aid show at the Royal Albert Hall in 1985, with the support of Sir Bob Geldof and involved 18 of the worlds top designers. He then began to explore the world of product and interior design and became the buyer for high-end leather studio Alma leather, a name long connected with high end interiors.

With an obvious talent for finding the new, the interesting and the special Khalique went out on his own 5 years ago and has now created the eponymous company, now famed for  working with Candy & Candy, Gensler and David Collins,  sourcing anything from aged brass in Morocco, woven fabrics in Loas, leather from Italy’s top 25 tanneries, or creating his own acrylic form of crystal cladding. If there is a finish you want, whether you know if it exists or not, he will very likely be able to find it or perhaps even make it for you.

‘Our collections are extremely varied,’ describes Khalique, ‘from statement Hide Rugs that can be used as both wallcoverings and floors, to a range of intricate artisanal tiles created from hammering copper and aluminium into works of art.’

There is a range of collections in the Clerkenwell showroom, which also includes a selection of my Khalique’s own designed ranges such as hand-embroideries that he developed with a couture fashion workshop in India, and the latest collection of leathers.

‘However, we also focus on sourcing materials, textiles, surfaces and finishes from all over the world to fit a particular client brief or to find a solution to a challenge mid-way through a project,’ he says of the custom made side of what he and his team do. ‘We work alongside private clients, designers and architects to source and produce entirely unique and bespoke solutions to suit their specifications.’

A great example of a bespoke undertaking was for interior designer Katharine Pooley, who required an exceptional surface wall panel for a private villa project in Qatar.

‘The brief was to create a statement feature wall for the main living area of the home, which complemented a colour palette of greys, silvers and taupe,’ Khalique explains. ‘We chose to employ the traditional technique of verre églomisé to create a truly bespoke finish. Gold, polychrome and silver paint were applied to the back of a glass panel, using various stippling and shading techniques to achieve depth and interest. The finished result was a stunning ombré effect.’

The team also worked with luxury residential design company Casa Forma on an award-winning bathroom project within the redesign of the Pan Peninsula Residence in London’s Canary Wharf.

‘We provided a stunning marble cladding with a gold and black geometric pattern wall design for one of the bathrooms,’ says Khalique. ‘As the space was to be exposed to water we had to ensure that the chosen material was suitable and would not be affected by damp conditions/susceptible to watermarking or mildew. The result was a wow-factor yet practical statement bathroom.’

Yacht design is also very suited to the Khalique’s world of bespoke because of the very niche requirements and Princess Yachts commissioned one such piece on a recent 40m project.

‘Yachts always provide a challenge for designers as they require surfaces and textiles that are light, durable as well as glamorous,’ Khalique explains. ‘We were asked to provide a solution to divide the living space with an elegant yet practical privacy screen, so we used a unique textile woven from metallic wire sandwiched between panels of glass. This allowed the natural light to reach the living area, while keeping it partially hidden from the rest of the space.  We also provided woven leather panels for the doors, which added an unexpected layer of texture to the design.’

It does seem that there is not much Fameed Khalique cannot do and the team work on small to large projects, that don’t always have to be grand and monumentous but just in need of a truly bespoke element. For example, he recently worked with a request to create hand-embroidered rabbit fur pelts for curtains, on a smaller project. Which of course meant sourcing specialist embroiderers in India no less!

‘What can I say,’ smiles Khalique, ‘when a client approaches us we work closely alongside them, bearing in mind their requirements every step of the way, but always aim to go above and beyond their expectations.’

Fameed Khalique – www.fameedkhalique.com