THOM 5 | Fall / Winter 2015

TASTEMAKER
Written by
Alison Abbey
Photographed by
Alicia Osborne
Looking at William Lamb’s work, it’s easy to see that the artistturned-designer
takes inspiration from his Red Hills heritage. The
fifth-generation Tallahassee native grew up on a farm outside of town,
working the land and enjoying the hunting and fishing beloved by those who
know the area. Those pieces of his childhood are woven into the rich tapestry
that has become his career. From his Plantation China collections to ties and
phone cases donned in redfish and tarpon, the Florida boy is proud to call upon
his roots for inspiration.
In fact, it was one such piece from his childhood that gave his brand, Wm. Lamb
& Son, its first big break.
Then still an up-and-coming artist, William had started painting dinnerware (his
first collection focused on birddogs and quail) and attended the Southeastern
Wildlife Expo in Charleston as an exhibitor. In preparing for the event, he turned
to a memory as a muse.
“At our old [family] farmhouse, my uncle had this cool wallpaper in his room
that had this vintage hunting scene pattern,” he says. “I went back out to the
house years after we sold it and the people had painted over it. I asked my uncle
about it and he said he still had a piece of it.”
After his uncle sent the swatch, William used Photoshop to build out the pattern,
then printed it onto fabric to make a pair of pants.
“While we were showing dinnerware and t-shirts, this guy came along and loved
the pants. He said, ‘I do ties for Brooks Brothers, can I use this fabric?’ And I said,
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