In the visualisations from her latest album, Lily Allen 'sleepwalks' and 'ruminates' while cocooned in two Swedish interior brands
After a seven-year hiatus from full-length studio albums, Lily Allen returned to the spotlight last month with her fifth record, West End Girl. Woven into her visual storytelling is an unexpected touch of Scandinavian flair, with Allen choosing Swedish design to amplify her musical narrative.
From the cheeky eclecticism of her first album – 2006’s Alright Still – to her more recent, refined aesthetic, Allen’s visual identity has always been central to her artistic persona. Never shy to experiment with colour or silhouette, Allen’s style has evolved, while retaining the wit and confidence that is unmistakably her own, and which has long defined her place in the world of pop music. It is therefore no surprise that the visual components to Allen’s first album since 2018 are creatively charged, and far from lacklustre.
Allen has described her latest work, West End Girl, as her most vulnerable to date. The album unofficially chronicles her move to New York, the end of her marriage, and the limboesque terrain of a period of transition. The themes of relationships, identity, and reinvention come alive through the song’s visualisers (previews of full-scale music videos), two of which have been given a distinctly Scandi touch. In 'Sleepwalking' and 'Ruminating', Allen has incorporated bedding from Beata Heuman x Mille Notti, a collaboration between two Swedish design powerhouses: interior-designer Beata Heuman, and luxury textile brand Mille Notti.
Catherine Wehtje Hustad, creative director at Mille Notti, describes her reaction to seeing the collection in the videos as “such a special moment.” “We’re incredibly proud and happy to see our designs featured in such a creative and emotional context,” says Wehtje Hustad. “The collaboration between Beata Heuman and Mille Notti is very close to our hearts, so to see the pieces take on new life and expression in these videos felt truly meaningful. It’s wonderful to know that the craftsmanship and design we pour into every detail can resonate in this way.”
The collection was the culmination of 25 years of friendship: Heuman and Wehtje Hustad first met at school – in fact, Heuman still has the first set of Mille Notti bedding she was given at the age of 15. In the interim years, Heuman moved to London, where she established her eponymous design studio in 2013, and Wehtje Hustad took the creative lead on the family-owned, bedlinen and home textile brand, whose royal warrant signifies its standing in Swedish textile and design tradition.
Selections from the Beata Heuman x Mille Notti collection featured in Allen’s work include the ' Powder' duvet cover and pillowcases. Crafted in a light blue percale – which Heuman values for its simplicity and matte texture – the name is a tribute to the unglazed porcelain tableware that was popular in England from the late 1800s. 'Powder' also features an elegant piping detail, which Heuman has likened to a hand-painted finishing touch – the kind that might grace a teacup.
Allen tucked up in the Powder bedding in 'Ruminating'.
The Powder collection. Photo: Courtesy of Mille Notti
Allen’s 'Sleepwalking' also features Mille Notti duvet covers and pillowcases in one of Heuman’s most recognisable prints, 'Willow' – a distinctive blue chinoiserie motif on an ivory coloured base. Inspired by an 18th-century porcelain plate that Heuman bought while on holiday in Cornwall, the striking pattern is defined by detailed scenes of pagodas, birds, arched bridges and landscapes of trees, including willows.
As ever, with Allen’s history of aesthetic choices, the inclusion of these textiles in her musical return is carefully considered. The Powder pieces’ delicate, porcelain tones echo the fragile vulnerability in Allen’s lyrics, and Willow’s motif evokes heritage, alongside a multi-layered narrative playing out on fabric – all of which could be said to resonate with West End Girl’s thematic storytelling.
Allen also plays with the form and function of the bedding, elevating the textiles from functional décor to visual cues. When Allen walks along a city street, enveloped in a duvet and pillows as if wearing a couture gown, she curates a subtle statement: the bedding becomes symbolic armour, shielding her from the world about which she has written. From the soft refuge of her protective cocoon, she can gradually emerge, to begin anew.
On seeing Allen’s repurposing of the bedding in this way, Wehtje Hustad says, “I absolutely loved it! It was such a beautiful and unexpected interpretation of our work. The way Lily “wore” the bedding felt both poetic and powerful – it really captured the idea of comfort and creativity blending together. I think it also reflects what we love about great design: it’s versatile, emotional, and open to being experienced in new ways.”
Photo: Courtesy of Mille Notti
Photo: Courtesy of Mille Notti
With the inclusion of the Beata Heuman x Mille Notti collection in her long-awaited album, Allen has not only designed a stylish statement of artistic re-emergence, but also highlights interior design’s potential to contribute to storytelling far beyond the walls of traditional spaces.
Beyond moonlighting in a globally renowned musician’s videos, the collaboration between Mille Notti and Beata Heuman will continue to grow, with the December launch of a new colour combination of the popular quilted bedspread collection. In Wehtje Hustad’s words, it is “a continuation of the same playful elegance that defines our collaboration – timeless, joyful, and full of character. We can’t wait to share it.”
Shop the featured pieces below.
The Beata Heuman x Mille Notti collection is available at mille-notti.com, the Mille Notti Brand Store, Mille Notti’s retailers, and beataheuman.com.
