Name: Caroline Hurley
Brand: Caroline Z Hurley
Job Title: Creator
Location: Brooklyn
What did you want to be when you were a little ‘un?
I’m pretty sure I just wanted to be weird!
What made you decide to start your own brand?
I didn’t really realise I was starting a business when I did. I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur/artists in some way. I just didn’t know what form that would take. I started making these necklaces and I walked into a store and the owner asked if he could carry them. It happened to be a super cool store and he let me flesh things out there, I brought things directly from studio. It was a great testing ground. It turned out that the throws did the best. And they also happened to be the things I was most excited about.
How would you describe your style of work?
Modern, simple, and playful.
What is the best and worst thing about being a designer?
The best thing is being your own boss and the worst thing is being your own boss! It’s super hard to play all the roles. I manage my production, my website, my sales, and I design everything. It’s really hard juggling everything but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am so lucky I get to wake up and do what I love.
What is your favourite creative outlet?
Painting for sure. I’m pretty sure if I didn’t have painting I would be as good at design. They balance each other.
There’s got to be something you’re shit at? What can’t you do?
I can not organize to save my life. My apartment and studio are always straightened but open any drawer or closet and you’ll find a big fat mess. I’m working on that though!
What are your top websites/blogs at the moment?
Into the Gloss
Design Love Fest
Design Sponge
Date, Marry, Kill… List any celebrity (dead or alive)
Bob Dylan, Andy Samberg, Justin Bieber.
So in the next couple of years your brand takes off like a rocket, multi million dollar offers start coming though the door. Do you stick with it? Sell out? Start again? What and where will you end up in 10 years time?
Great question as I am just starting to thing bigger this year about expanding and what I really want. I probably wouldn’t sell out/start over but I guess you never know! If the offer was so huge maybe I would cash out and start a bed and breakfast in the middle of the jungle or maybe Tulum.
But what I really want is a full home-wear line. Ceramics, rugs, bedding, the works. For now I am starting small. I haven’t had any financial investments so far and have just put everything back into the company so I’m gonna grow that way moving forward, slowly.
What song or album are you currently listening to and is it any good?
Phosphorescent! So good.
Fun, Unique designs all handmade in the USA! We just love the simple use of shapes and lines that Caroline uses on her stunning linen.
“Studio Times” – Music in studio is super important, I try to have as much of a variety as possible. I like to have sort of mellow music mixed with rap – keeps me on my toes. being in studio means both figuring out logistics and making new designs and paintings so I have to make sure my music fits in with all of those kinds of work. if I am doing menial work like working on inputting data into our system or invoicing then I will listen to NPR, but mostly music is what is playing in studio. – Caroline Hurley
