In 2024, Maggie Lam Surface Design was honoured to be featured in an AA Insurance interview, celebrating the creativity, resilience, and global vision behind the brand.
The article highlighted Maggie’s journey from her early days in Hong Kong, where memories of shopping trips with her mother and sister nurtured her love for pattern and design, to her career today as a surface designer based in Auckland, New Zealand. Influenced by the cultural blend of her upbringing and inspired by British fashion and design, Maggie’s work carries a unique fusion of heritage and imagination.
Her signature Toile de Jouy motifs, with their storytelling qualities, remain central to her work. These intricate hand-drawn and painted designs — often featuring whimsical countryside animals, woodland landscapes, and celestial details — have captured international attention. One of her career highlights came when Holt Renfrew, Canada’s luxury department store, commissioned her for a bespoke holiday campaign. The design later appeared on Manolo Blahnik shoes, a milestone that reinforced the timeless appeal of her artistry.
Maggie’s process begins in her Auckland studio, where she brings designs to life with watercolour, gouache, ink, and charcoal before digitising them into repeat patterns. Her work is produced as wallpapers and textiles across New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and the UK. Each bespoke project is deeply collaborative, beginning with mood boards and evolving into designs that reflect her clients’ stories and spaces.
Despite her successes, Maggie spoke candidly about the realities of being a creative. “Most if not all creative people tend to be very sensitive about what others think of their work,” she shared. “Not everyone is going to love your style; you just have to find your tribe. Then keep creating, keep moving forward.”
Since launching her studio in 2015, Maggie has combined vision and determination to build an international portfolio. From leaving Hong Kong at 16 to study in New Zealand, to transitioning from a career in town planning to surface design, her journey reflects the power of dreaming big and embracing change. Looking ahead, she has ambitious goals: expanding Maggie Lam Surface Design to the UK, USA, and Hong Kong.
Being featured by AA Insurance was a proud moment for the brand, offering a platform to celebrate not only Maggie’s artistry but also her philosophy: that design can inspire, transform, and connect people across cultures and continents.
A full interview can be found here in this link:
https://www.aa.co.nz/membership/aa-directions/home-living/meet-the-maker-maggie-lam-wallpaper-designer/