They have had commissions from some of the world's biggest brands including Nike, Fortnum and Mason and Famous Grouse.

Their distinctive but diverse patterns have adorned book covers, grave stones, biscuit tins, chocolate boxes and gin bottles and buildings including London's V&A and the UK Supreme Court.

However, there is one job that even now has the college friends behind long-established Glasgow brand Timorous Beasties laughing in disbelief.

(Image: Timorous Beasties)

Just over 10 years ago they were asked to design artwork for Kate Bush's 2014 residency at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

She had found out about us through looking at a friend's wallpaper," says Paul Simmons, who launched the firm in 1990 with Alistair McAuley when both were in their final year of a textile design degree at Glasgow School of Art.

Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons in their Glasgow showroom Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons in their Glasgow showroom (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

"Then had asked her manager to ring up the Glasgow shop and she rang up and she kind of wanted something but didn't really know what.

"In the end it was shoehorned into her residency at Shepherd's Bush.

"The Hounds of Love album was constantly played when we were at art school in the studio - obviously you don't want to tell her that," he added.

More than 30 years on, the multi-award winning and internationally acclaimed duo are still based in Glasgow at a large Victorian warehouse, where their designs are often handpainted.

Timorous Beasties was launched in Glasgow in 1990 Timorous Beasties was launched in Glasgow in 1990 (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

Alistair grew up in Clydebank and doesn't give much credit to his art education apart from one influential teacher who taught him how to screenprint.

However, living in Glasgow, his business partner benefitted from a variety of extra-curriculur activities that helped spark an interest in art and design including a Summer school called Castle Toward near Dunoon. 

"That's been stopped now, which is an absolute crying shame," says Paul.

"There was also the print studio, a classroom in one of the schools in Maryhill where you could go and do stuff.

"Because of that you find out that there is such a thing as an art school to go to," he added.

(Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)

He is hugely critical of the "lack of investment" in art education in schools.

"I heard that the budget is about 70p per pupil for the year," he says. "It might even be worse than that.

"It's really dreadful because it's one of the strengths of the UK education - the creative industries."

"I only found out about art school about a year before I went," says Alistair, who had a short-living apprenticeship as an electrician before he went back to school to get more qualifications.

Both went to art school in the late 1980s when full grants were still available for living expenses, opening the door for working-class pupils to go on to higher education.

"We were one of the last generation to get grants to go to art school," says Ali. "We actually got money to go.

Timorous Beasties' commission for sportswear giant NikeTimorous Beasties' commission for sportswear giant Nike (Image: Timorous Beasties)

"I've often wondered why that was, the country wasn't any richer. I guess there were less people going."

They describe the experience as "great fun" and their business was launched at the start of the decade when Glasgow was buzzing with Turner Prize nominees and winners from the city including Douglas Gordon.

"There was a helluva lot of stuff happening, it just didn't get as much publicity as their compatriots down south," says Paul.

"It's not necessarily the same [now] but certainly in terms of journalism they never really delved into what was happening in Scotland."

They were helped to set up the business by the Prince's Trust. The name, taken from the Burns poem, alluded to Scotland but left the public guessing.

"Glasgow was really supportive to where we were going," says Ali, whose co-founder was living in London at the time.

"In order to do what we needed to do, we needed a big space and big spaces down south were too expensive.

"We didn't think of Glasgow as being restrictive in any way and spent a lot of time darting down to London trying to get work."

They started designing interiors for pubs, clubs and restaurants in Glasgow including style bars like Colin Barr's Living Room but were also printing t-shirts to help balance the books.

Edinburgh Toile, the wallpaper that features rough sleepers and misbehaving youthsEdinburgh Toile, the wallpaper that features rough sleepers and misbehaving youths (Image: Timorous Beasties)

"It took about 14 years to become established," says Alistair "and we could have shot it in the head at any time.

"We were nominated for a design of the year award and had opened the shop [on Great Western Road] but just before that was one of our lowest ebbs."

Their first proper commission "with a decent budget" was interior designs for the Welcome Trust on London's Euston Road.

"It was always optimistic, there was always a good job coming along," says Alistair.

Asked if any current government policies have made sustaining a business more difficult they reply almost immediately and in unison.

"Brexit was an utter con," says Paul. "I cannot express what a pile of absolute s**** Brexit is.

(Image: Timorous Beasties)

"The people who are responsible for Brexit should be jailed for it," adds Ali, "Because it utterly lied to people.

"We had a showroom in Berlin at one point and Douglas Gordon had a gallery downstairs.

"It started three months before the Covid lockdown and we had a nice big opening on October 31 to show we didn't want Brexit - we wanted to be part of Europe.

"When it re-opened it was within Brexit. Nobody knew what the rules were going to be.

"When we were setting it all up we would fill the van with all our product and it was easy, no hassles and now you've got, "Where did you get your cable ties?".

"They said there was going to be less bureaucracy and there couldn't be more.

"Our biggest markets are the UK and America but we can't expand in Europe, it's put a stop to that," he adds.

"They should prosecute the ones who conned us all with utter lies."

Alistair believes consumers are becoming more aware of the value of a product.


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With people like the Great British Sewing Bee's Patrick Grant becoming a spokesman for sustainable fashion, the tide could be turning on throwaway goods that end up costing more in the long run.

"People understand manufacturing a lot more," says Alistair. "There is plenty of evidence for it on the television."

He says they are taking a slightly different approach to B-Corp, which accredits firms who have achieved a high standard of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

"People live with curtains for a long time but it means using more linen and things that use up less water. Your inks should be water-soluable," he says.

"Most [of our products] are done to order and everything is done in the UK. We employ 20 people which is a reasonable amount for a business of our size.

"But we are printers, you are still the devil in many ways," he added.

"We did Doors Open Day and a girl came up and said she had a pair of curtains from 30 years ago and said they bring her joy every day."