Q&A with Senior Textile Designer, Ellie Moser

Unraveling the Backstory Behind Her Finnegan Wools Collection

Ellie Moser, our esteemed studio artist and Senior Textile Designer known for her sustainably-minded, fashion-forward textured collections like Paradiso and Parachute, has outdone herself with the Finnegan Collection. This collection is an eco-friendly marvel, showcasing three versatile wool blends that invite personal mix-or-match customization. Blending complex, intricate textures with flawless neutral and fresh color schemes, Ellie has crafted a cohesive, captivating design narrative that ties together comfort with modern-classic luxury.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Ellie for an engaging chat about the inspirations, aspirations, and creative backstory behind the Finnegan wools collection. Join us!

What is the central theme of the Finnegan Collection and what was the inspiration behind your designs?

Ellie Moser:

I like to think of the Finnegan Collection as an ode to the resilience and timeless elegance of wool. I started working on this project way back in 2021...it was a long process, but a labor of love!

The goal was to develop heirloom-quality wool fabrics that are ethically made, sustainably sourced, durable enough to last a lifetime, and affordable to our core customers.

Finnegan in all the colorways

Finnegan wool upholstered on couch

Calling this a challenge is an understatement (sometimes it felt more like chasing a unicorn), but the effort paid off – I’m so proud of these patterns.

Since these are classic constructions, I gave them nicknames based on some of my favorite classic books and authors. James Joyce's novel Finnegan’s Wake seemed appropriate for the namesake wild, bold plaid. Shire has a rustic quality that reminded me of Tolkein’s idyllic Hobbit villages. Chekhov (or CHECKhov) has more to do with wordplay than the playwright Anton Chekhov, but I do love his drama Uncle Vanya.

Wools

How do you hope designers will respond when they see the collection?

Ellie: I hope designers will fall in love with our color palettes and be tempted try new things.

I’m imagining how different SKUs of Chekhov could be pieced together via colorblocking on couches. Or instead of changing colors, imagine a shift in texture using coordinating colors of both Shire and Chekhov on different panels of a chair (how beautiful would that be?!).

Finnegan chairs

What is your favorite pattern of the line and why?

Ellie: Chekhov is the one for me because I’m thrilled with how the colors worked out.

Chekhov textiles
Chekhov upholstered on couch

The final blends become fabrics with flexible colors that are much more versatile than single-shade yarns. For example, Chekhov Flame coordinates equally well with cool or warm reds, and Thunder matches almost any variation of grey. There really should be at least one color to match every project!

The Finnegan Collection: 3 Cozy Textiles

/

  • Upholstery

    Finnegan

    Tawny 4 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Chekhov

    Earthen 26 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Shire

    Celtic 15 Colors


Which Momentum textiles and wallcoverings would complement the patterns in this collection?

Ellie Moser:

WOOL TEXTURES

I love it when designers combine related textures in one sitting area. Try mixing Finnegan wools with gorgeous wool textures from our previous collections like Wool Multi 513, Wool Weave 510, and Woven Felt. Our rolled acoustic wallcovering line also looks (and sounds) beautiful, with the subtle softness of NuFelt (or its basket-woven version, NuFelt Langley).

Plush Finnegan Pairings: Wool Textures

/

  • Upholstery

    Shire

    Seaside 15 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Wool Multi 513

    45 Orchid 16 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Wool Weave 510

    75 Lemongrass 15 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Woven Felt

    Constant 6 Colors

  • Acoustic

    Nufelt

    Dublin 27 Colors

  • Acoustic

    Nufelt Langley

    Astronomical 9 Colors


EMBELLISHED PLAINS

The felt ground cloths in this category pair nicely with the Finnegan group, and I love how the subtle patterns work as a sort of bridge between the plains and the giant plaid. Pairings could include textiles like Pop Up, Tech Weave, Sunbeam 523, or Ronda, and etched rolled acoustic wallcoverings like rounded NuFelt Darning or ribbed Manchester.

Refined Finnegan Pairings: Embellished Plains

/

  • Upholstery

    Finnegan

    Lavender 4 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Pop Up

    Sprout 5 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Tech Weave

    Carbon 4 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Sunbeam 523

    45 Jam 16 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Ronda

    Clay 13 Colors

  • Nufelt Darning Latte
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Nufelt Darning

    Latte 6 Colors

  • Acoustic

    Nufelt Manchester

    Private Jet 15 Colors


DENSE GRIDWORK

Overlapping grids in smaller scales such as Sunny and Just Add Plaid or wallcoverings like La Foret Stripe or Sagano can be used as unexpected companions with Finnigan’s large plaid. The feathery brushstrokes of Sketching Air look even softer when paired with Chekhov and Shire, offering an alternative statement pattern.

Graphic Finnegan Pairings: Dense Gridwork

/

  • Upholstery

    Chekhov

    Gamma 26 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Sunny

    Aegean 8 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Just Add Plaid 501

    17 Maple 9 Colors

  • Wallcovering

    La Foret Stripe

    French Linen 9 Colors

  • Wallcovering

    Sagano

    Verdigris 13 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Sketching Air

    Sky 13 Colors


A Cozy Invite

View Finnegan's Finest

Stay Up to Date With Momentum

Sign up now to receive the latest insights and articles directly to your inbox.

Thank You!

Thank You!