An Evening of Timeless Legacy: Morris & Co. x Cabana

EVENTS | HAPPENINGS | WORLD OF CABANA

Last week in London, within the storied walls of Voysey House, Cabana Magazine and Morris & Co. came together in a pattern-filled celebration of heritage, craft, and imagination. The event marked the unveiling of The Unfinished Works Collection by Morris & Co., with a unique preview of Cabana Magazine’s upcoming Issue N24...

BY JULIE HAENTJENS | HAPPENINGS | 15 SEPTEMBER 2025

West London's Voysey House, built in 1902 as part of the Sanderson wallpaper factory, provided the perfect backdrop for the unveiling of Morris & Co.'s new collection, and a much-anticipated collaboration with Cabana.

The Unfinished Works, a series of wallpapers, fabrics, weaves, and embroideries inspired by newly rediscovered sketches by William Morris himself - which had been preserved at The Huntington Library in California - transforms archival fragments into fully realised designs. The 140-strong collection, which has increased the Morris & Co. oeuvre by 25%, honours a 164-year legacy while exploring modern creative territory.

The evening unfolded as a refined cocktail reception, where elegance lay in the details. Guests gathered around tables dressed in floor-length linens from the new collection, decorated with wildflower arrangements: loose, textural compositions in earthy tones, styled in clay pots and urns. Aprons and service attire, printed in Morris & Co. designs, added to the storied atmosphere where history and hospitality blended seamlessly.

Guests from the worlds of art and design could explore hand-painted artworks and archival sketches, alongside Cabana’s publications and lengths of fabric displaying the new collection. A live drawing demonstration showed the process, while a block-printing workshop offered attendees a chance to try the craft themselves.

After the cocktail reception, Cabana’s Digital Editorial Director, Camilla Frances, guided a thoughtful panel on design and craftsmanship. Cabana founder Martina Mondadori emphasized the beauty and authenticity of the Issue 24 collaboration, which will see nine Cabana covers - published in October - adorned with carefully selected patterns from the Unfinished Works collection. Ben Pentreath, architectural and interior designer, reflected on Morris' enduring appeal and respect for artisanship, while Remy Renzullo, interior decorator, considered Morris’ influence in America. Lisa Montague, CEO of Sanderson Design Group, considered how innovation can honour William Morris’ legacy.

The dialogue highlighted that heritage is not static but alive, evolving in conversation with the present. The color palette, participants agreed, is not mere replication but interpretation, with energy and emotion reimagined for contemporary interiors. At Voysey House, beauty was not only preserved but renewed, evident in each table, each flower, and every design - honoring, perhaps, William Morris' own rule for living: “There is no excuse for doing anything which is not strikingly beautiful”.

The night concluded with an intimate dinner at La Trompette in Chiswick, bringing together the panelists and close friends of Morris & Co. and Cabana.