The Pillow Goddess® proudly handcrafts one-of-a-kind decorative pillows in Austin, Texas. Founder, Deborah Main, with no prior background in design or sewing, started our company in 2004. Deborah comes from a family history of entrepreneurship and a tradition of valuing textiles and vintage jewelry passed down through generations. Today, our focus is filling custom orders for homeowners, the interior design trade, and retailers, while we expand our luxury pillow line nationally.
1900 -1950’s
Great-grandfather Robert Main emigrated from England at age 14. He raised his family at “Brightbank”, a historical Victorian home on the Hudson River in Saugherties, N.Y.. In 1905, he set up the Robert Main & Company Brick Manufacturing in the Kingston, N.Y. area. He was a prominent businessman in the brick industry, and at the time was known for treating his employees extremely well.
1950’s – 1999
Founder, Deborah Main, was named after her grandmother Fannie Main, daughter of Robert and Fannie Main, of Robert Main & Co.. While growing up in Kingston, N.Y. near Main descendants, Deborah was raised to value her Main family heritage. She inherited Main family heirlooms, including hand-tatted lace from her grandmother and an antique brooch from her great-aunt. These inspired Deborah’s love for collecting textiles and vintage brooches. While recovering from a lengthy illness, Deborah’s entrepreneurial spirit began percolating with the monogram DMD, for Deborah Main Designs, a business to honor her Main family heritage. All she had to do was figure out what the business would be.
1999 – 2004
In 1999, while remodeling her home and refinishing antiques, Deborah Main bought a vintage Necchi sewing machine in an antique cabinet. In 2000, while decorating her home, she had an “Artistic Epiphany” in a luxury fabric store designing her very first ribbon pillow. She later took a pillow-making class to learn how to sew. In 2004, Deborah answered an “Open Call for Designers” at The Garden Room in Austin, presenting three ribbon pillow samples to a panel of judges. With rave reviews, she founded Deborah Main Designs and launched a website with her signature pillow collection, Rococo Ribbon.
2006 – 2013
From 2006 – 2011, Deborah Main Designs was represented by Doris Sanders Showroom at Dallas Market. In 2009, 2010, and 2011, Deborah won “Best Home Accessories Designer” at Austin Fashion Week. In 2011, Houston House & Home dubbed Deborah “The Pillow Goddess”, which became the name of her blog. In 2013, Deborah Main Designs launched six pillow collections, including the Redbrick Modern (named after her Main family’s brick-making heritage) exhibiting them in “High Design” at Americasmart, Atlanta.
2014
Deborah Main Designs was recognized by the national Martha Stewart American Made Awards as a Wild Card Finalist.
2016 – 2018
In 2016, at High Point Market, Deborah Main Designs’ pillows were featured in interior designer Kelli Ellis’s “Elevate Luxury Design Tour” installation at Universal Furniture, the Antique Design Center by Zaar Antiques and 20th Century by HKFA, and in the By Koket showroom. In 2018, Deborah Main Designs launched a new collection featured in the window display at Dallas Market’s Total Home & Gift show and was invited to exhibit pillows at BOLD Summit in Chicago.
2018 -2020
In 2019, celebrating 15 years in business, the company rebranded as The Pillow Goddess, launching a new logo and website. Deborah was a Guest Participant four times in the national One Room Challenge, partnering with several luxury brands. Our pillow line was featured in the Austin Modern Home Tour in homes staged by interior designer Ruby Cloutier and the blog was recognized by Modenus in the Top 100 Design Influencers. In 2020, our pillows were selected for the cover of the “Best in Show” book by HGTV Design Star, interior designer, Donna Moss.
2021 -2023
In 2021, The Pillow Goddess launched its first national pillow collection in collaboration with celebrity interior designer, Robin Baron, of Robin Baron Design. In 2023, our company signed with licensing agency YKD Associates to expand The Pillow Goddess brand globally.