In conversation with: Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux

• Hi Marianne! Can you introduce yourself and tell us what you’ve been working on with our Textile Design students?

  My name is Marianne Shillingford and I am the Creative Director of Dulux UK and Ireland.

  I am here teaching the art of colour mixing, creating your own palette. We are using real paint and getting really messy, and it is a blast!

• How does colour play a role in shaping design decisions in both textiles and commercial projects?

  Colour is so important, it is fundamental to design – it is a superpower of nature. If you understand it, you can use it as a tool to make all of your design work better and more successful.

• What has it been like to collaborate with Norwich’s Textile Design students?

  This really is a highlight of my year. Everybody is an individual, their work is not the same. They really get to express themselves here.

• How important are live briefs with industry partners in preparing students for their future careers?

  These kind of industry days – when industry come into the University – show what we do behind the scenes. They give students a flavour of what might happen when they are out in the real world, because it is just so different to what you imagine!

  All of these textile students might end up working in the paint industry and I get a chance to give them a flavour of what my day to day is. 

• What advice would you give to students looking to break into creative roles within companies like Dulux?

  Find out what the company does and have a look at some of their projects, then approach them personally. Be excited about the project you’ve seen and tell them how you might approach it – sell yourself a little bit!

  And try and find the right person in the company to approach – don’t give up if you don’t find them straight away.

Creative career advice from Marianne