While sourcing for an interior design job in New York City in the early 1990s, Rebecca decided to make her first antique textile pillow. She scoured a flea market and found a gold filigreed curtain panel and the trim from a tattered vestment; using the two, Rebecca created a more clean-lined alternative to what was available and her pillow was an instant hit.
"At that time it was impossible to find an antique textile pillow without gobs of passementerie. I felt like the actual handmade textile should be revered and not overshadowed."
Overcome with ideas and inspiration, Rebecca returned home and promptly enlisted the assistance of Belinda Prudhomme - her former housekeeper (who is now the Head of Production for B. Viz Design). Soon enough the orders began flowing and Neiman Marcus picked up the collection. As the years continued, business flourished and the team has grown to include other extraordinarily talented local seamstresses to fulfill ever growing demand.
In the studio, textiles collected from around the world are sorted by colors or patinas and are stacked in plain sight to enhance visual stimulation. For the embroidered pieces Belinda with her nerves of steel meticulously cuts around the hand stitches with tiny cuticle scissors, careful not to snip a thread lest it all unravel.
After the hand embroideries and goldwork have been removed, Rebecca measures each remnant and draws the pillow’s design while calculating the cost per square inch. All components are then collected for each seamstress so they may complete the painstaking handwork and repairs from home.
