My story
I spent my twenties trying on new lives without feeling quite at home in any of them. I was an analyst in New York, a primary school teacher in Madrid, a waitress-turned-consumer-marketing specialist in Copenhagen, and a government researcher in London. As I adapted to each new place, I craved reminders of places I'd been and objects that felt like home, pieces that evoke stories and a sense of having belonged somewhere, not just things.
During this time, travel was what sustained me. Nothing beats arriving somewhere new, senses heightened by unfamiliar sights, smells, and sounds. I’ll never forget stepping into the Tetouan medina in Morocco in 2014, instantly captivated by the piles of vibrant textiles and intricate ceramics. Since then, I’ve been exploring and collecting unique objects and trinkets everywhere I go: a wooden lamp from Madrid, Danish porcelain, a Moroccan rug, a Namibian rhinoceros statue, a Peruvian table runner, and Bolivian woven oven gloves I carried around South America for five months in my backpack. Even while living in rented, furnished flats, I knew I wanted my future home to be a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces and memories.
Meanwhile, corporate burnout was catching up with me. I was desperately seeking creativity and scheming a way to merge my love of travel and meaningful, collected homewares.
The idea for Suze Studio took shape during more recent travels along the old Silk Road in Central Asia, a region where textile traditions run deep. In Uzbekistan, I fell in love with the suzani, a hand-embroidered textile that plays a deeply meaningful role in family life across the region.
Traditionally, before Soviet times, suzani were made in Central Asia by women and girls in the home as part of a daughter’s dowry, and the majority of suzani-makers today are still female. Side note: the fact that my name is Susan, which sounds very much like suzani, was the source of a lot of confusion and joy across Uzbekistan!
During my travels, I visited bustling bazaars, workshops, and shared (many) cups of tea with artisans and dealers who generously opened their doors and their histories to me. Many shared a common concern: their textile traditions were at risk of disappearing. Even though it experienced a revival after the Soviet Union fell, home embroidery (which was once central to suzani-making) has nearly vanished. Younger generations continue to choose different career paths, as slowly-made embroidery no longer seems preferable or viable compared with other industries. This is compounded by the market being flooded by cheap, machine-made suzani that are flogged to tourists, devaluing true handmade items.
These moments turned my curiosity into purpose: to help these stories and textiles live on as art in modern homes. Framing textiles is my way of honouring and, hopefully, helping to perpetuate these textile traditions, preserving and giving new life to rare pieces that would otherwise gather dust in attics or trunks, and sharing their beauty. Unlike the mass-produced homewares that fill most décor shops, the pieces I source are rare and one-of-a-kind: each is crafted by hand, rooted in human stories, and impossible to replicate.
My ethos
I consciously source both vintage and newly made textiles.
Older pieces, especially antique suzanis, fascinate me. Many have survived generations, showcasing the skill of Uzbek artisans, and their colours and motifs often feel surprisingly modern. In an era of fast fashion and mass production, reusing existing textiles is a meaningful way to counterbalance waste and preserve unique craftsmanship.
Yet, focusing only on antique or vintage pieces doesn't help sustain textile art as a living tradition or a viable livelihood for local artisans. By also investing in carefully chosen newly handmade textiles—which offer a pristine option for those who prefer it—I support the continuation of these skills so they can endure for future generations.
Whether sourcing old or new, I make sure artisans and dealers are paid fairly for their expertise and time. Giving back is also vital to me. I donate a portion of all profits to women’s charities in Uzbekistan, where most textile makers are women. Supporting these artisans empowers their communities and helps these traditions remain a real career path for years to come.
My promise
Every piece I offer is something I genuinely love and that I would be proud to hang in my own home. I hand-select each textile with care, seeking out only the most special, character-filled works that are true statement pieces in any room they're used in.
Quality and authenticity guide every step of the process. Each embroidery is handmade by skilled female textile artists (and sometimes men); each textile is then mounted, stitched, and stretched by my own hands; and finally, every frame is crafted by trusted local framers in Bristol, UK, who hand-build the bespoke wooden frames. From start to finish, nothing is mass-produced.
But Suze Studio isn't just about sharing my journey; it’s about inviting you to transform your own space. When you purchase from Suze Studio, you are not only bringing home a unique, storied artwork but also supporting the artisans behind these traditions and encouraging their preservation for future generations.
Thank you for being here.
xx, Suzy
