We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Isobel Mills a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Isobel , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?
I believe that being persistent is the key to success. When I graduated from college and moved to NYC, it was next to impossible to find a job in textiles that didn’t require 2-5yrs experience. Consequently, I worked various other jobs all the while, taking con-ed classes, creating new patterns/building my portfolio and experimenting with new fiber art techniques. All of this persistence and commitment to my true passion, ultimately enabled me to open my own line of textiles.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I ultimately discovered textiles through my love of ceramics and its malleable qualitites. Like clay, I am able to manipulate fabric in unlimited ways ie. ruffles, pleats, etc. without the dry hands and risk of pieces exploding in the kiln. My love for texture, color and the hand-building process is evident in all that I do. Whether it’s my 2D fiber art works/textured tapestries or my 1D textiles and wallpaper, I try to bring texture into all that I do through the use of both visual and physical texture(s). My boutique fabric and wallpaper line is sold to the trade through 9 showrooms across the country and Canada. While most of my line is digitally printed on a high-end, Belgian linen, I strive to offer other quality grounds to provide the client with more cost effective, customizable options! This Spring, I will launch my first indoor/outdoor, solution-dyed acrylic woven and am so excited about this attractive, durable and life friendly product!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Covid was a learning curve for us all and, as a business owner, it certainly highlighted every hole in my business model. When the Mill that weaves my linen ground stopped production and I ran out of material to print on, I quickly realized that I had all my eggs in one basket and needed to source other Mills (preferably in the US), so I could continue fulfilling orders and offer a new range of product.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Upon graduating from college and moving to NYC, I applied to countless entry-level textile design jobs thinking my success in college would translate to a job in my industry; However, that was not the case and it was extremely defeating. In fact, I never had a job in textile design until I started my own textile design business. The frustration and intense feeling of defeat from not feeling qualified/talented enough for a job in my industry, coupled with my existing passion, fueled me to continue to learn, create and expand upon the skills I had worked so hard to learn in college every chance I could.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopisobel.com
- Instagram: shopisobel
