Madeleine Kelly - BA (Hons) Textiles in Practice
Tactile Worlds
I am an interdisciplinary designer specialising in inclusive textiles, with a focus on tactility and sensory engagement. My practice is driven by a desire to create accessible and playful textile experiences that cater to a broad range of sensory needs. By prioritising interaction, emotion, and multi sensory engagement I can contribute to creating a more inclusive design landscape. Throughout my time at university I have expanded in my material exploration to discover how different surfaces, finishes, and structures can create new and exciting sensory responses. I am excited to continue exploring how different materials can shape experiences and how textiles can be a tool for connection, play and accessibility.
My design process combines trend forcasting and artist research, with small scale material experiments. This allows me to develop textile samples that engage beyond just visual cues. I'm particularly interested in CMF (Colour, Material, and Finish) as an framework for designing inclusive and texturally engaging work.
My current project Tactile Worlds explores how textiles can be made more inclusive for people with visual impairments and neurodivergent individuals. I have developed tactile and sound based textile samples that encourage sensory interaction, aiming to create a more accessible approach to material design. My choice of colour and material have been developed through trend research and audience research to create various outcomes that cater to a wider audience. This allowed me to curate a colour palette that evokes specific emotional responses such as: calmness, joy, energy or promoting social confidence, enhancing the sensory experience. Drawing on my research into sensory processing and playful design, my samples encourage touch, movement and curiosity, challenging the typically visual focused nature of traditional textiles.
