Milla Novo in front of her Bomba rug. Photo @novo_art

From her busy studio in the Netherlands, textile artist Milla Novo has been making great waves in the realms of interior design since launching her career in 2017. Widely recognised today for injecting a lease of new life into the traditional macrame craft, she creates vast, all-encompassing wall-hangings and installations, in which vividly coloured and richly textured threads and ropes are woven into elaborate, intricate designs influenced by Mapuche weaving traditions. More recently, Novo has also been integrating AI technology into her textile designs, which have allowed her to expand her creative language in bold and unexpected new directions. She said, “… integrating technology can save time and open up more creative possibilities for artists.”

Milla Novo, Angosta Collection. Photo @novo_art

Novo came to a creative career after having spent 22 years working as a flight attendant. She made the switch following a spell of intense exhaustion and burnout, finding a sense of healing and catharsis through the focussed act of making. But the process of weaving was also one that came naturally to Novo given her family history, which traces back to the indigenous Mapuche people, for whom weaving is a strong tradition. Novo’s mother, a Mapuche weaver, encouraged creative practices in Novo’s childhood, as she remembers, “My mother would sit me and my sisters down and teach us different crafts.” One of these included making woven bracelets, which Novo would sell in local marketplaces. Picking up on the craft again as an adult allowed Novo to reconnect with her mother in a new way – her mother introduced Novo to the patterns and symbols that have played a vital role in Mapuche textile production for centuries, and these became the bedrock for Novo’s mature practice.

Milla Novo. Photo @novo_art

As Novo expanded onto a larger scale, she found interest quickly grew in her work. “One day I posted a wall hanging on social media,” she says, “… and before I knew it, I had my first project for a restaurant in Amsterdam. I soon realised that my craft, especially the wall hangings, sparked emotional reactions in others.” She also found working with others to create the ideal backdrop for their interior spaces a meaningful process that allowed her to build on her long history with airline work, noting, “I am very social and my background as a flight attendant helps me to be the host of my work. I listen and take notes a lot – my client’s stories, their projects and passions. When I’m creating, I think about the conversation we had, the feeling of that moment.” Her wall hangings now feature as permanent installations in a vast range of spaces, including homes, offices and restaurants, which prove how plush, metallic, or vivid textiles can bring warmth, interest, and humanity into the spaces they inhabit.

Milla Novo, Bomba rug. Photo @novo_art

In recent years, Novo has been creating the ‘Bomba’ carpet collection, in which she embraces AI imaging software to assist with the production of her designs, which are transformed into large, tufted rugs and wall-hangings. She says, “I started to play with AI when I was trading NFTs and I noticed collections that were AI created or generated. I started to play with Midjourney on Discord, and it led from there, leading me to generate wall tapestries and carpets.” Uncompromisingly daring and bold, they feature concentric circular shapes and autumnal hues inspired by the interiors of the 1970s. They demonstrate Novo’s desire to keep expanding her practice and exploring new and unchartered territory, opening up new and unexpected pathways for the future of interior design. “Every project is more than just a product,” she muses. “It is my meditation. I treasure it and protect how I create very strongly.”