Folks We Love with Pia Rappaport| designer + founder, Pillowpia
Pia Rappaport is a real breath of fresh air. She is the founder of Pillowpia, a beautiful line of textiles, found objects, and table decor that feels very grounded, and simply, organically beautiful. Pia has a fascinating background in building archives for major fashion designers like Ralph Lauren, and you can see her attention to detail and textiles come to fruition in her work here with Pillowpia. I loved interviewing her and hope you enjoy reading this…and shopping afterward…
Interview by Kacy Byxbee, editor, Your Zen Mama
Where are you from?
Brooklyn, NY
Who is in your family, and how old are your kiddos?
My husband Seth, daughter Annabelle (4), and son Lucas (2)
Occupation?
Designer, Founder of PILLOWPIA
Can you tell us more about your background?
I grew up in a creative household. My father was a musician and my mother, an artist. I studied Sociology and Economics in college. After I completed my bachelors degree, I decided to return to New York and pivot toward the creative by attending Parsons School of Design for Graphic Design. While studying at Parsons in the evenings, I landed an administrative job at Ralph Lauren. While I finished up at Parsons, the team at Ralph Lauren had already earmarked me for a new role that required a left brain and right brain skill set: founder of the Ralph Lauren Library. A brand new department that would study, catalog, and make available the company's history and inspiration to promote new development and educate the newer generation of designers on the company's heritage. And so began a decade+ long career with Ralph Lauren and then Tory Burch in operations, specializing in building and utilizing their brand archives. It was really interesting work, but when I had my first child, I felt it was time to do my own creative work and I launched PILLOWPIA one year later.
Pillowpia is gorgeous. Can you tell us about your design process?
Thank you! I do things a little bit backwards from the design processes I've seen. I dive into my own archive and start with a few techniques or details that feel really special to me. And then I expand into the items around it. This season, I fell in love with the textural, one-of-a-kind and upcycled feeling of handmade chindi rag rugs, so we developed a collection of tabletop items and pillows using that technique. I love taking something traditional and doing something unexpected with it. My artisan partner kept saying, "how small do you want this rug? four feet?" "No, four inches."
What are you reading and watching?
I'm a very visual person and I splurge on I guess what you would call coffee table books when I want to treat myself. I just bought Travel Home: Design with a Global Spirit and Women: The National Geographic Image Collection. Watching? I like unexpected narratives like Fleabag, The Handmaids Tale, and Orange is the New Black, design shows, and, of course, I cannot wait for the new HBO Ralph Lauren doc, Being Ralph.
Where do you feel most inspired?
In my studio with all my mood boards and tear sheets.
How do you manage stress?
I play with my kids. They crack me up. Even when they're terrible.
What does femininity mean to you?
Being fiercely empathetic and maternal.
How do you maintain balance with work, a partner, kids, and yourself? Any tricks?
I don't! Just kidding. My husband is very supportive and we tag team the responsibilities really well. Working for myself, I'm able to ensure I am there for school drop off and I am home when the kids return most days. Until I recently rented an outside office, I was home for their return every day and I'm pretty sure my kids thought I never left the house. But that was ok with me while they were really small. Renting an outside office though, was something I needed to grow the business but also give me back some identity outside of family life.
What does self-care mean and look like for you? What do you do for yourself?
I think it is important to evaluate your needs on a regular basis. Having children is a huge shift and your priorities can change every few months as your family grows up. When my kids were babies, I just wanted to snuggle with them and not think about the business. I committed to very little and just enjoyed the time. When they got a little bigger and needed to socialize and be more independent, I decided to focus on my work goals. Now that I'm no longer nursing, all I want to do is microneedle my face and get highlights. Next year, who knows...
What is the best advice you have ever received?
It was actually from my accountant. She handles a lot of small businesses and, in our first meeting, she said the only difference she sees in businesses that fail vs. succeed is persistence. You have to give it at least three years to establish yourself. If you have a vision, just keep going.
What advice do you have for new mothers?
give yourself a break. you're doing great.
What are the 4 things you can't live without?
laughter, moisturizer, ice, NPR.