Timorous Beasties

Timorous Beasties

Timorous Beasties, was founded in Glasgow in 1990 by Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons, who met studying textile design at Glasgow School of Art. 

Their work could be seen as a wayward take on the often “twee” world of textiles, with heavily illustrative insects, ‘triffid’-like plants, birds and other animals. They are also known for their contemporary take on the ‘Toile de Jouy’ fabrics of Napoleonic France, and have designed a number of toiles based on different cities around the world. The original ‘Toile’ designs are viewed today as very traditional but in fact depict scenes of drinking and womanizing that reflected the society of the day. Similarly, Timorous Beasties’ toiles reflect the under-belly of urban social realism against a back drop of familiar, landmark buildings.