Miracle Fibres: From Patagonia to London with Cindy Lilen

What happens when ancient Andean wisdom meets contemporary design on one of London's most prestigious stages?

The answer lies in a darkened room at Somerset House where visitors sit on felted benches, touching raw vicuña wool while listening to ancestral sounds.

Textile artist Cindy Lilen co-created 'SUR ANDINA', Argentina's acclaimed entry at the London Design Biennale 2025 (on show at Somerset House until 29 June 2025), alongside sound artist Iliana Díaz López, through their studio Madre Tierra Designers.

"When you make something, there is a triangulation between your brain, your hands, and your heart." - Cindy Lilen

Working with merino, vicuña, alpaca, and guanaco, fibres that indigenous communities have relied on for centuries, Cindy creates installations that bridge ancestral knowledge with contemporary design.

Her approach follows natural cycles and sustainable methods, exploring how these materials reconnect us to landscape and cultural memory.

I invited Cindy to talk about this and much more as part of The Summer Sessions: Craft & Design.