Meet Julie Powell of Julie Powell Designs in Fort Collins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Powell.

Julie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My entire life has been driven by my love of textiles- yarns and fabric. My background is in Art and Art History and I have been an entrepreneur since I am about 12 years old. I have always wanted to earn my living by selling things that I made with my own hands.

For more than twenty years, I was a sweater designer and had my own collection (“Periwinkle”) of hand knit, hand loomed and hand-woven sweaters and jackets. I sold (in the 1980s and ’90s) to fine boutiques around the country- from Saks Fifth Avenue to Henri Bendel to Art-to-Wear galleries. It was based in San Francisco, and my little factory of ten women knit, sewed, embroidered and embellished sweaters and jackets.

After many years of production and deadlines, I decided to move to the next phase of my creative life- as the head of Design and Merchandising for Icelandic Design- based in Longmont. Here is was able to combine my design background with managerial skills to head up a multi-million dollar company with manufacturing in China, Nepal, and South America. I traveled all over the world for sourcing and production, as well as trade shows- opening up my eyes to the garment business on a global level.

Ten years later, I branched out on my own as a designer for various companies – creating designs and working with factories throughout the sweater, jacket, and accessory categories. Working as a freelance designer is still something I do and love.

Throughout this working life, I have always pursued my own artwork and creative impulses. In 2005, I taught myself how to weave off-loom with seed beads. The combination of weaving, sewing and the magic of glass beads instantly clicked with me. I loved it. It was as if I was creating a woven fabric or a quilt with little glass units of thousands of colors and finishes.

I began to bead only small pictures and tapestries but later advanced to creating jewelry. I was never a “jewelry person” but the cuffs and necklaces that I made were instantly embraced for both for their color, texture, and wearability. The new jewelry was a new direction- like little tapestries that one could wear. For me, it was the perfect blending of art, textiles and the garment business- worked small and without much equipment- and able to be portable. Before long, I was selling to museum stores (Museum of Art & Design-NYC, Denver Art Museum, Fort Worth Art Museum, Norton Museum) as well as to fine galleries and boutiques around the country. I began to sell through catalogs and websites (Artfulhome) as well as through prestigious art fairs (ACC, Cherry Creek, Smithsonian Institution.)

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have always been struggles. One of the biggest struggles, early on, was running a business with ten employees. I had to deal with all the design, shipping, management of employees, finances- while raising two small children. It was a hand full, and I was frequently overwhelmed. But I just kept pushing through the hard parts.

Later, I found challenges in working for a small corporate entity, and the difficulties of working globally, as well as under a rigid business structure and managerial processes. This did not seem to work for me well in the long run.

Always, the business part of these ventures has been filled with obstacles. Keeping orders coming in, keeping production humming along, staying financially viable and managing it all has never been easy. But after almost forty years of doing it and making my living from it, I suppose I have accepted the challenges.

Ultimately, I feel lucky that I get to do what I do and to have made a career from my creativity.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Julie Powell Designs – what should we know?
I, along with a few artisan helpers, create beautiful cuffs, necklaces, and earrings out of glass beads. They are woven – off the loom- with only a needle and fishing line, creating either an embroidered or woven structure. I am proud that they are well made and durable, but mostly that they are filled with color and texture, unlike most contemporary jewelry- and more like fabrics. Color is a great motivator and inspiration for me.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Tenacity
Long attention span
Love of color
Love of art
Knowledge of the business, and interest in it.
Experience in various aspects of business and production- at a small and at a global level.
Technical acumen in all textile arts, as well as digital arts.
Self-confidence.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.juliepowelldesigns.com
• Email: juliemiradesign@gmail.com
• Instagram: juliepowelldesigns
• Facebook: Julie Powell Designs

Image Credit:
Sanders Visual Images

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