Industry Insights: Ashley Mooney

What does Blue Moon do?

We're a procurement agent that purchases specifically for hotels. If you were to turn a hotel upside down and shake it, everything that falls out is what we curate. We procure, on behalf of clients, the furniture, lights, curtains, rugs, artwork and so on. So we purchase fabric from Agua all the time. It can be for cushions, headboards or for drapery. 

How did you start your career?

I studied interior design at the Glasgow School of Art after leaving high school. When I graduated, I worked for Apple and ended up spending almost 10 years of my working life there doing different roles. I moved to London with them from Glasgow, overseeing store operations across Europe. But I really missed interiors and design and the kind of creativity that all that brings. 

I met Gordon Anderson, who is the founder of Blue Moon. We had so much in common, because he was born in Aberdeen and I was born in Glasgow, so we just got on like a house on fire. So he employed me to join his team then. That was almost eight years ago, and at that point, I was the fourth employee, including himself. 

Are there any projects that stand out over the years? 

Well, our last project was the Hoxton Vienna, which just opened in Q1 of 2024. Aesthetically, it was just as amazing to be involved with. It had a massive event space, a fantastic rooftop bar, and guest room design with two different interior themes. We'd never worked in Austria before, so that was great, and we enjoyed uncovering new suppliers in that region to help us deliver it. 

What's the most important thing you've learned in your career? 

I always try to retain an element of positive intent. No matter what situation you're in, whether it's an HR issue, or a commercial change or product issue, if you look at that issue from the opposite side and approach it with positive intent, that gives you a great base and a good decision often follows. 

What is your experience with Agua?

We’ve purchased lots of fabric from Agua, particularly for the Virgin hotel in Edinburgh. Agua has a great reputation in our industry, because they are one of the leading manufacturers of fabric into hotels. Personally, the team is lovely to work with. It’s easy to know what your product options are, and the team is open to negotiating a good price that works for everyone. All of that works beautifully when you're working with a company like Agua fabrics, because they've got that experience, and they make it seamless. 

To see more of Ashley and Blue Moon's work, click here.