Category: Who

I learned of Suite One Studio through Becca’s Edit post… and since then, I’ve fallen totally in love with Lindsay Emery’s work. If you’ve ever thrown a pot, you know how difficult it can be to work in ceramics, and Lindsay’s amazing eye and appreciation for quality is apparent in every aspect of her line.

While speaking with Lindsay , one of the things that stood out to me is that after falling in love with pottery in college, she bought a wheel and started practicing – throwing and scrapping pots over and over again. She didn’t have a kiln to fire these pieces, so she literally had nothing to show for her work. Regardless of what you think of the ten-thousand hour rule, this shows a true commitment and dedication to the craft. What would you do over and over again just for fun? Is there a way to create a career out of that?

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON YOUR CAREER PATH?

In 2007, I got a Kitchenaid stand mixer and it came with a one-year subscription to Food & Wine Magazine. I saw that the F&W editorial was filled with beautiful pottery and had a lightbulb moment – seeing props like that solved a question I had had about my artistic path. It made me realize that I wanted to be, and could be, a potter. Food & Wine is still a major source of inspiration today…. And I’ve come full circle and had my work in the magazine!

HOW DID YOU MOVE FROM ARTIST TO BUSINESS?

In 2010 I moved to Greensboro, North Carolina and made a promise to myself– “No matter what, I’m not going to get a job. No matter what, I’m going to make pots and make that my career.” I started to consider the work I was doing as a business, not just as an artistic endeavor. It was a totally different way to look at my work.

I love that I am able to explore artistic spontaneity – I can make what I want, whenever I want to make it. But while I am an artist with a collection, I also need to act as a business owner managing a brand. Social media has been great because I am able to meet people who approach things with the same sense of seriousness as I do.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I’m inspired by local antique shops and consignment stores – looking through tableware of the past. It has been helpful for me to see what people have used and made in the past. It answers a lot of questions about what will work in my collection.

What I’m making is related to what was made in the past. I like that. That’s a good thing.

I’m a terrible interviewer…Lindsay and I spoke for quite a while, but I was a little too engaged in the conversation to take good notes! For more, check out Lindsay’s blog and at some point, we’ll share a part 2! Thanks, Lindsay! 

[images courtesy of Suite One Studio]

I am so excited to share today’s collaboration with you! A few weeks ago, Wing and I got together with Lisa Hackwith of Hackwith Design House and Thao Nguyen of Parc Boutique to learn more about their upcoming trunk show.

Thao is the amazing owner of Minneapolis’ Parc Boutique. Parc carries an incredible mix of accessible quality brands and unique handmade exclusive items and Thao does a fantastic job curating an assortment of products by local makers (luckily for you, everything is available online!) and providing exceptional service. (Parc was probably my very first introduction to boutique shopping… so it’s safe to say that Thao created a monster:) 

Lisa is the equally amazing designer and maker behind Hackwith Design House. Lisa just re-launched her line after a brief hiatus and focuses on her belief that one’s favorite item of clothing is special and unique. Given that belief, she makes less than 25 of each item so that you always know that you are wearing a unique piece (and releases one item a week – oh the anticipation!)

Again, good people making good things… that could be the new tagline for TAE.

Lisa and Thao met while Lisa was shopping at Parc, and over time decided to create a collaborative collection. The Spring collection sold out almost immediately so they have expanded the line and are introducing it at a trunk show – tonight!

This sweater is amazing. Thao and Lisa hand-selected the fabrics and then Lisa sewed it – by hand! – in her studio. It’s unique, soft, and versatile. We got so excited over the sweaters that they decided to make additional options – I can’t wait to see those! That’s the amazing thing about working with American-made, local designers – product is not only thoughtfully made, but it can often be turned around incredibly quickly.

Lisa sits at this sunny desk in her studio and sews all day!  When we visited, she was finishing up production of her fall line which launched last week and working on samples of her spring line for Minneapolis Fashion Week.

I’m such a sucker for cohesive branding – particularly when I’m shopping online because it’s one of the few ways that the shop can really connect with me as a customer – and Lisa’s is amazing.

If you are in Minneapolis, I hope to see you tonight! If not, be sure to check out instagram as I’m sure we’ll all be ‘gramming up a storm!

Thank you to Lisa and Thao for collaborating to create such an amazing line! And of course to Wing for the amazing photos!