Often imitated, never duplicated

As we gear up for this Fall Market 2018

I have a lot to say this time. This has been the most challenging year for Frond Design Studios. There were times this last year I felt like I had been run over by a steamroller at the end of the day. People I trusted most, truly cared for and helped in their time of need let me down. As a business owner I felt like I should have been tougher. I should have demanded more. I should demand what I demand of myself for this business. But there are few people who are going to drive a Penske truck, set a booth and spend many sleepless nights trying to navigate through what I consider to be this industry’s 2008.

We have seen studios fall and rise. We have seen designers move on. We have seen companies fall and rise. Frond tripped, fell and is rising. We are rising to the call to be strong and to continue to move forward one step at a time, to be true to who we are, to put good things and good energy into the universe and to develop products that shine in your arms with the creativity connecting all of us.

I am grateful to every store who discovered and embraced our product line and our education program. They understand we cannot close out art fabrics. They mean something. Our fabrics tell a story. There is a reason why we are committed to design this way, to produce this way.

The Art in Fabric movement I started, began by accident. I painted a bunch of beautiful irises in all different colors because I did not know how to develop colorways on a computer. So I went home from a full time job and painted until 2 am every night developing new canvases based on the same measurements. That is the way I thought everyone designed. When my daughter introduced me to Gimp and then Photoshop I was in awe.

It has been an uphill battle because the work was so different. There were challenges from the graphic scans to the printer who struggled but conquered the screen separation. It took time to educate, articulate and wait. The process typically would take up to nine months to ship art back and forth. You couldn’t just send a digital file because the art had to honor the artist’s work and message.

But we have come along way since then. We have faced multiple challenges head on. I am proud of my team who stood in the gale force winds with me not always knowing if it would work out. I think Melissa’s new black and white American Collection says it all. Because of the strength of my team, the beautiful people in my life and the true grace of God we will be at Market at Booth #2141.

 

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