DESIGN Q&A: Herne Bay's The Cabinet of Million Dollar Ali
Bringing Trashy Chic to a piece of furniture near you!
Inspired by upcycling super-sourcer Zoe Peacock, better known as Muck N Brass, Herne Bay’s Ali Skinner is bringing her own style of Trashy Chic to a piece of furniture near you. From 3D budgerigar portraits to Glamour Puss footstools, The Cabinet of Million Dollar Ali is packed with eye-popping objet d’art. We got in touch to find out more.
How did you get into upholstery originally?
I had always worked supporting young people, giving information, advice and guidance. I was working as a functional skills English teacher but got made redundant during the pandemic. I spiralled. I’d always been very creative – I was making my own Madonna costumes at five years old, but back in the day that was seen as a hobby not as a career, so there wasn’t a lot of encouragement to go down that route.
During the pandemic, Beach Creative CIC got in touch with me and asked if I’d like to deliver some art lino-print workshops for the Cultural Ambassadors course, which I loved – it was like getting paid to have fun! Then I discovered Muck N Brass [Zoe Peacock] online and loved all the things she was creating and it got me thinking about all the amazing things I could make in my own style.
That led me to realising creativity was a real possibility for a career change and that I could bring my ideas to life. I started to get excited so enrolled at Shoreditch Design Rooms on their AMUSF Upholstery Course.
How would you describe your style to people?
I would call my style Trashy Chic. More Pat Butcher than Liberace.
Have you always had a passion for vintage furniture?
I have always loved putting my stamp on things and had always upcycled my own furniture and clothing with a passion for what some would call ‘the eccentric’.
So how did The Cabinet of Million Dollar Ali start?
After the upholstery course, I was contacted by Jackie, owner of Brits Love Vintage Interiors in Whitstable, and asked if I’d like to do some upholstery and sell it in the shop. This was literally life-changing for me!
I went into the shop once a week and it was a fabulous emporium of beautiful wallpapers, fabulous fabrics, colourful paints and the most magnificent, unique upcycled furniture I’d ever seen!
I call Jackie the Queen of the Glamformation as all the furniture has been upcycled by her. Jackie took me under her wing and taught me everything she knows about prepping furniture, painting techniques, staining, glossing, wallpaper – just everything! She really gave me the confidence to try new things and not worry if it didn’t work out to plan – she really believed in me and loved my work, and that’s how The Cabinet of Million Dollar Ali was born.
Where do you source your materials?
Anywhere and everywhere – I’m always on the lookout. I’ve also got a network of contacts who will call me with bits they think I’ll be interested in. People remember my style, so I’m often getting pictures of furniture sent to me saying “Saw this, thought of you”, which is nice. Jackie stocks millions of beautiful fabrics, so I’m often raiding her stockroom and I also spend a lot of time online obsessively searching for fabrics that fit my vision.
I aim to be as ecofriendly as possible – my footstools are all made from repurposed wood or repaired old footstool frames. No fabric is thrown away, I save everything and will make purses, bags and other bits to use up the scraps and the smaller scraps are donated to art classes and groups for people to use creatively.
What is the process of reimagining the pieces you create?
I always have a notebook with me, so I’m constantly writing ideas down, taking photos and creating mood boards. The photos can be of anything – something in a magazine, a piece of furniture, a poster, graffiti, a still from a music video or an outfit.
Collated together into a mood board helps me to create ideas and visualise a piece to design. I have ADHD, so sometimes it’s really challenging trying to keep up with all my ideas and not getting down when I can’t get everything I want to done, but it is a blessing to have so many ideas churning away and have that vision of how it’s going to look and feel.
From cushions, to chairs, to clutch bags, what are your favourite items to create?
Ohhhhhh, I don’t know, probably the furniture. Upholstery is a long and challenging process, so I always feel proud when I’ve been able to focus for so long and create something so pretty and unique that someone else will enjoy.
What visual elements make a good fabric or print for you?
Bold, bright colours. I’m really loving neon at the moment. I like things that clash and I enjoy oddities. Designing my own fabric is something I’m working towards.
Are there any artists or designers that you are influenced by?
I love Muck N Brass – Zoe Peacock is just fabulous. I’m inspired mainly by movies, especially films by Baz Lurman and the colours and styles I see in them. I’m influenced by textures and how things feel and what kind of feeling they create, I’m influenced by pop culture and amazing women – Cher, Winona Ryder, Kate Moss, Britney, Taylor etc. The band Kiss inspire me with their outfits. I’m all about that whole classic rock: lace, leather and leopard print – trashy chic!! I need to do much more of that!
Facebook: @TheCabinetofMillionDollarAli
