Entwining willow leaves, climbing honeysuckles and strawberry-thieving thrushes: Morris & Co.’s iconic designs are instantly recognizable. More than 160 years after the company’s creation, these enduringly popular patterns adorn homes all over the world, from historic manors to modern houses. Today, the elaborate, nature-filled motifs remain wildly influential, and Morris & Co.’s timeless designs are more sought after than ever.
With hundreds of years’ worth of patterns, it was a joy to explore Morris & Co.’s illustrious archives for our exclusive new sleepwear collection. Inspired by nature and the English countryside, our collaboration brings the beauty of the outdoors into our homes and celebrates some of the signature heritage patterns designed by William Morris and his daughter May Morris.
Created in collaboration with the Morris & Co. design team, this whimsical collection features a selection of women’s sleepwear and accessories, fusing classic elegance with relaxed yet sophisticated styles.
Featuring: Ernest White Middlemore Linen Robe and Soft Sage Honeysuckle Linen Women’s Pyjama Shorts Set
Modern Heritage Design
When selecting the patterns for our collaborative Morris & Co. collection, we gravitated towards soft, elegant and ethereal designs. We landed on three patterns – Middlemore, Honeysuckle and Willow Boughs – that pair perfectly with the relaxed, oversized look of our new-cut linen pajamas and robes.
First produced in 1887, Willow Boughs is one of William Morris’s most iconic designs, featuring the popular pattern of entwined willow branches and delicate leaves. Meanwhile, Middlemore and Honeysuckle celebrate the work of May Morris, the daughter of William Morris and a pioneering artist in her own right. Middlemore features delicately drawn flora and fauna, while Honeysuckle mimics the plant’s climbing stems and rambling flowers.
Reimagined through our own Piglet in Bed lens, we used fresh new colorways for each print, handpicked from Morris & Co.’s heritage hues. We selected five signature colors: rich and deep Inky Fingers, cool-toned River Wandle, grey-tinted Ernest White, hearty brown Sussex Rush and our own mid-green Soft Sage.
Featuring: River Wandle Middlemore Linen Robe, Ernest White Middlemore Linen Women’s Pyjama Shorts Set and Sussex Rush Willow Boughs Linen Sleep Mask
Celebrating May Morris
As a female-founded brand, we wanted to spotlight May Morris's work in this collection. A feminist, socialist and versatile designer, May was an important figure in the 19th-century arts and crafts movement. Promoted to the head of the embroidery department at Morris & Co. at the age of just 23, May oversaw important commissions for altar cloths, fire screens and bedcovers. Besides embroidery, she contributed an impressive raft of now-iconic Morris & Co. fabric and wallpaper designs, many of which have been frequently misattributed to her father.
In an age where skilled artisans railed against the advent of the machine age and cheaply mass-produced goods, May Morris was a skilled and forceful opponent. Revulsion at the lack of women craftspeople, coupled with the radical socialism her father helped establish, encouraged May to establish the Women’s Guild of Arts in 1907, developing craft into ever new and exciting ways.
Featuring: Ernest White Middlemore Linen Scrunchie, Soft Sage Honeysuckle Linen Women’s Pyjama Shorts Set and Ernest White Middlemore Linen Robe
Relaxed Sleepwear Styles
The Piglet in Bed x Morris & Co. collection includes women’s pajama shorts sets, robes, sleep masks and scrunchies, all made in Portugal from breathable, soft and durable European linen. The lightweight pajamas and robes have a comfortable, oversized feel with flowy, wide-fit sleeves – a new cut for us at Piglet in Bed. Our linen sleep masks and scrunchies are the perfect accessories for a restful night’s sleep, pairing beautifully with the matching sleepwear.
This is one of our most exciting collaborations to date and we’re thrilled that this whimsical sleepwear collection is now out in the wild. Keep your eyes peeled for our signature house coats, which will be joining the Piglet in Bed x Morris & Co. line-up later this year.