SISTER SISTER: Sibling Success
It’s Women’s History Month, and we’re taking sisterhood quite literally! Explore five sister-run companies from the Shoppe Object community that exemplify sibling harmony. From New York to Washington, Portland to Louisville, Delhi to Seoul – It’s a family affair.
ANCHAL
Founded as a non-profit by sisters Colleen and Maggie Clines in 2010, Anchal’s fashion and home goods are ethically and sustainably made by 160 female artisans in Ajmer, India using the softest GOTS certified organic cotton. The modern graphic designs are defined by sophisticated patchwork and elegant quilted stitch patterns.
It all started when Colleen was taking a graduate seminar in landscape architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design that took her on a trip to India in 2009. Through local leadership, Colleen was introduced to the exploitive world of the commercial sex trade and the lack of opportunity for women in the community. It was in this moment she was inspired to design more than beautiful landscapes, and to make a greater impact. After returning home, Colleen and her classmates raised money to purchase a sewing machine and materials, and to provide a stipend for the first collective of artisans.
COLLEEN: We felt compelled to take the project beyond the classroom with the conviction that our design training, in collaboration with local leadership, could address seemingly intractable social and environmental systems. The women we met became our sisters, sisters we had to fight for.
In 2010, Anchal officially became a 501(c)3 non-profit, and in 2012, Maggie joined her sister to co-lead Anchal.
MAGGIE: We both had linear projections for our careers. Then I saw that we could have more impact than I ever anticipated as a young woman. So I jumped onboard and we decided to make a go of it!
COLLEEN: We can’t imagine doing this without each other. Our sisterhood and friendship allow us to innovate and design with shared values, perspectives, and aesthetics. We can also communicate with each other without speaking much because we know each other that well.
That being said, not every day is a dream. We work in very different ways and have different ideas which can lead to tension. However, this tension creates innovation and a great balance in the end. I tend to be a maximalist and say yes to everything, where Maggie is more calculated and enjoys a minimal aesthetic. Together we encourage and push each other, but also raise concerns when needed.
MAGGIE: Since childhood, whenever we would get into an argument, our Mother would always tell us that one day we would be each other's best friend and to make up before the day ended. This spirit continues today and overall working with each other is something we will forever be grateful for! We aim to create an environment that shares the energy of sisterhood. To Anchal, sisterhood means unconditional friendship and support. The empathy found in working alongside your family member is infused into all aspects of Anchal. From our employees calling each other ‘didi’ meaning sister in Hindi, to the collaborative spirit in our all-female studio, to supporting the artisans in India like family, to the comforting nature of our textiles, sisterhood is ingrained in Anchal's spirit.
“The empathy found in working alongside your family member is infused into all aspects of Anchal. From our employees calling each other ‘didi’ meaning sister in Hindi, to the collaborative spirit in our all-female studio, to supporting the artisans in India like family, to the comforting nature of our textiles, sisterhood is ingrained in Anchal's spirit.”
- Colleen & Maggie
BITTERS CO.
Established in 1993, Bitters Co. first began as a retail store in Seattle before expanding and transitioning into wholesale in 2000. Today Bitters Co. is a design and product development company working directly with makers both domestically and abroad. The Carson sisters, Amy and Katie, established their company to bring worlds together through their love of craft, sustaining cultural heritage in a rapidly changing world. Named after their mother and inspiration, Barbara Bitter Carson, Amy and Katie have run their business and special events out of a big red barn built in the 1920s in the western part of Washington’s beautiful Skagit Valley, since 2004.
KATIE: Working with Amy is a continuation of our childhood dream. We have been sharing creative ideas since sharing a bedroom and staring into the patterns of quilts made by a relative, which each of our twin bed's had. Our style now is an intuitive collaboration of shared design sensibility through a depth of understanding. We are a check and balance for one another.
AMY: Our sisterhood brings to our business the nuances of quiet understanding as we work beside each other. It is like the third eye with Katie. I will start with an idea or question and she is already right there with me. We are not shadows for one another but walking side by side. To this day we are still having the conversation we began about creating together when I was 5, and Katie was 4.
Bitters Co. works with artisans throughout the world, sharing an interest in craftsmanship and the resourceful use of materials. Their designs lean toward the contemporary, with a reverence for traditional skills.
KATIE: As sisters, we can sometimes agree to disagree. But ultimately our family connection allows us to create through a cohesive design language that is authentic and honest.
“Working together is a continuation of our childhood dream. We have been sharing creative ideas since sharing a bedroom and staring into the patterns of quilts made by a relative, which each of our twin bed's had. We are not shadows for one another, but walking side by side”
- Katie & Amy
HANADURI
Meaning one (hana) and two (duri), HANADURI is a multi-disciplinary craft & design studio founded by twin sisters Hana and Duri. Based in Seoul, South Korea, the sisters specialize in crafting graphic and handicraft design products that are reinterpreted in their own style. They take inspiration from the motifs of nature, as well as from the culture around them and everyday life.
HANA: My younger sister Duri is half of me and a helper like a hero who takes charge of the parts that I can’t. When I was young, we used to draw and make things together. Each time I asked her for help, we would collaborate and produce good results. Even now, it is not very different from then. Sometimes she is a colleague who focuses seriously on her work at the studio, and sometimes she is my best friend who can have pleasant conversations and play like a child. Even if we fight while working, we will naturally reconcile over time, forgetting when it happened, and cooperate again.
DURI: It may be a little more special that we are identical twin sisters. As a child, we knew each other's hearts better than anyone because we grew up with the same clothes and the same hairstyle. We seem to have similar personalities, but actually we are different. Hana is more introvert and sensitive, and I am more extrovert and fast. These differences have been a huge help for us to get work done efficiently at Hanaduri studio. Despite growing up with different life experiences in different environments, we are still twin sisters so we can easily share and merge each other’s ideas without explaining everything like telepathy.
Inspired by various perspectives beyond the boundaries of time and space, together the sisters strive to pursue concise and emotional designs that add warmth to our lives, with timeless value, simplicity and practicality in mind.
“We seem to have similar personalities, but actually we are different. Hana is more introvert and sensitive, and Duri more extrovert and fast. These differences have been a huge help for us to get work done efficiently. We are twin sisters, so we can easily share and merge each other’s ideas without explaining everything, like telepathy.”
- Hana & Duri
FILLING SPACES
Filling Spaces is a sister run business founded in 2008, with a passion for textiles and interior design. Nanu and Deepali were born and raised in India where Nanu still lives, while Deepali resides in Portland, Oregon. Together they create collections inspired by memories of growing up and the handmade traditions of their homeland, with a deep appreciation for the patience and skill of their artisan partners.
DEEPALI: India is full of textures; it's an absolute feast for senses and spirit. After living in the US for 16 years it has influenced me in so many ways – especially with my love for travel and exploring other regions and cultures. All that plays an important part when I am doodling ideas.
NANU: It all starts with a simple sketch, then working on pattern repeat and then planning the right fabric for the design. The final step is collaborating on the printing techniques with the artisans when creating the textile.
Deepali and Nanu feel humbled by their customers' overwhelming support and generosity to help make a difference in India's artisans' lives. They continuously strive to help their artisans by supporting their kid's education as well as medical and emergency needs. As sisters, their mission is to grow in an equitable manner, with the spirit of family at the core.
NANU: We have been through all the ups and downs together, and we see the best and worst of each other. We understand each other: Deepali is the design and marketing part of the company and I am the manufacturing side, bringing the best of both worlds.
DEEPALI: Growing up I saw how mistreated people were in export houses, and it was important for me to make this a true partnership between us and the people behind the creation of these beautiful handcrafted products. Together with the artisans, working with a family member – especially my sister – was the best decision I ever made.
"Expectations from family are always more, and we will call in the middle of the night if needed. We understand each other, and we have been through all the ups and downs together. Working with a family member, especially a sister, was the best decision we ever made.”
- Nanu & Deepali
WOVEN CONCEPTS
Woven Concepts is a boutique rug company and a Certified Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) specializing in the conception and creation of artisan rugs for high-end interiors. The firm was founded by the first female generation of a four-generational family trade, and together sisters Sheida, Halleh and Jasmine possess an extensive knowledge of design and production with a background in high fashion, and a passionate disposition for rugs imprinted in their DNA.
SHEIDA: My sisters serve as a great inspiration to me, and each one of us brings a different skill to the business, making it more well-rounded. It’s an honor to be the first female generation of four generations in the rug trade.
HALLEH: Because of our common values, we share a personal approach to product development and customer service. We create rugs that have warmth and soul. Our philosophy is that authentic customer service extends beyond the transaction.
JASMINE: We enjoy telling our customers that we’re a sister-owned, female-run family business! The reaction is always enthusiastic and heart-warming.
In addition to their signature rug collections, Woven Concepts provide extensive custom rug capabilities for commercial, residential, corporate, retail and hospitality interiors. Quality material and craftsmanship, distinctive design, pliable and soft textures, high performance weave, and fresh colors are elements that make Woven Concepts’ rugs outstanding.
