Artist

Like many creative endeavors, Deborah Main Designs ignited one day after simmering slowly for years. Deborah Latimer, artist and founder, had long felt the desire to create – and she had already come up with a name, Deborah Main Designs, which paid homage to the Main family photos and heirlooms that peppered her south Austin bungalow. But, as an artist, she had yet to discover what she would use as her canvas.

The first inspiration came during an outing with a friend to Cush Cush, a former Austin fabric store. Surrounded by gorgeous textiles and a delicious display of ornate French ribbon, Deborah began arranging the ribbons, crisscrossing color and texture, until she had a beautiful and unique design. Remembering a handmade pillow given to her by a dear friend, she took the bundle of ribbon home and enrolled in a beginner's sewing class to make her first pillow.

However, once made, the lovely pillow sat on a chair for several years as Deborah went on with her life. She had two children to raise, her ailing mother to care for, and a health condition of her own that sapped her energy. Little did she know that that pillow would become the inspiration for her signature Rococo Ribbon collection.

Almost five years later, in April 2004, Deborah serendipitously learned of an open call for designers (sponsored by The Garden Room, a well-known local design boutique) and couldn’t pass up the chance to take part. She fashioned several more pillows and entered them in the showcase, garnering rave reviews and interest by a local fine furnishings store.

After just three years, Deborah Main Designs is flourishing, with five pillow collections, a wholesale showroom at the Dallas World Trade Center, a growing number of retail stores and galleries, and a brisk online business in retail and custom orders. We appreciate your interest in Deborah’s story, and hope it will inspire you to bring Deborah Main Designs' one-of-a-kind pillows into your life and home.