My Journey To melissaAnne COLORS Textile Products
My Journey To COLORS Textile Products
If you have followed along on my photography journey over the last 8+ years you know that I’ve had a long-time dream of putting my abstract style images on textiles for a branded line of melissaAnne COLORS textile products. The dream began many years ago with a single image, a desire to create my own handbag and evolved into research and design of pillows several years later.
I made a prototype collection of pillows from my Water Colors and Urban Colors images but never got as far as taking them to market.
Why? Well, a list of reasons, including the financial commitment required, “life” happening around me and my desire for fine fabrics and quality production. That last part has been the hardest to come by. When you are a small business, requiring customized small production runs your options are limited. I tried many companies and either the quality was not the right fit or the customer service was not what I expected and required.
When I was building my melissaAnne COLORS brand the personality was all about color, vibrancy, and uniqueness.
It was about getting up early and being in the right place at the right time for that special moment of color. Or staying up late to capture more moments. It was about taking adventures and not playing it safe in my own back yard. It was about seeing the world differently and sharing my passion for color!
When it came to textiles, there was a sensory expression that was of equal importance to me. I wanted the colors to FEEL as vibrant and special as they looked. I could only do that with the right products, textiles and vendors. Without it, it just wasn’t worth going to market.
Fast forward several years, lots of Google searching, trials and errors and some down right failures in working with vendors, persistence…and letting go of expectations…and here we are.
Persistence pays off…Letting go seals the deal.
Last year I found a new company that offered custom printing on textiles. Some of the requirements I’d set early in my search didn’t fit but I decided to let them go and take a chance. After all nothing had quite worked out so far. “Let’s just see…”
So I ordered fabric samples and they were fantastic! Rich, soft, luxurious…FEEL – check.
I ordered product samples with my designs and they were fantastic (like stopped on the street with comments from strangers fantastic…)! QUALITY…check.
I emailed with questions and support and the company was timely and supportive, even on weekends. Partnership-worthy CUSTOMER SERVICE…check!!
Getting Started With Scarves
It’s time. I’m going for it and I’m taking a slightly new direction with melissaAnne COLORS textile products and starting with fashion accessories instead of home accessories. The next step in my journey is a Spring Scarf launch with melissaAnne COLORS Impressionist Photography Designs. I selected two of my favorite and most popular images, one representing my current home in the Pacific Northwest and the other my soul home in Amsterdam. I can’t think of a better way to start.
Thanks for sticking with me. Thanks for listening to my textile dreams and not giving up on me…so I wouldn’t give up on them. And now, let’s do this! And, stay tuned…sample pillows are next on my list.
Dedication, Persistence, Letting Go…To Make It Go!
I’m placing my launch collection order on April 10 and as a supporter of melissaAnne COLORS I’m giving you an opportunity to purchase direct from me by April 9 at a special launch price. Scarves will be shipped in 4-6 weeks as each scarf is custom-made to order.Â
