Hot textiles brand AK Wilde is named after the two daughters of founder, Karen Hamilton-Bannis; 'AK' represents Aylia and Karissa and the 'Wilde' represents her love of nature and all things wild and wonderful. A graduate of the London College of Fashion (University of the Arts), and a recent graduate from the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design, Karen currently teaches Key stage 3, 4 and A Level Textiles in a secondary school. She aims to create heritage patterns and products that reflect the diverse world we live in. She cites her patterns as heavily influenced by her ancestry and her love of nature.

She says "My challenge is to get my voice heard over all the noise of mass produced, computer generated, generic patterns that flood the market".