Behind the Brand: John Robshaw
My team and I are thrilled to welcome John Robshaw to Cailíní Coastal! I personally have owned and admired John Robshaw's textiles for over a decade and its an honor to be able to offer his beautiful products to our customers. The colors and patterns of John Robshaw products add so much interest to a home and we're excited to offer a curated collection of John's designs.
We had the pleasure of speaking with John to learn more about his background, inspiration, and colorful life. Read on to learn more about this beloved brand.
xx Meg
Credit: Cailíní Coastal
CC: Where are you based?
JR: My office is in New York City and I just relocated my showroom - and opened a small shop - in Falls Village, Connecticut.
Credit: John Robshaw
CC: We love that your brand developed from a passion for travel and appreciation of heirloom techniques such as block printing and hand embroidery. Tell us a little bit about your journey and the evolution of the John Robshaw brand.
JR: It all started when I was at art school at Pratt in Brooklyn. I was making art using textiles. A professor offered a free trip to India if I would bring back some sequined dresses. I got there and was blown away. I went in search of block printers to learn their craft.
CC: After school, what inspired you to create a product line?
JR: My printer pushed me to make more things than art so he could make more money! I said why not? I will give it a shot.
Credit: John Robshaw
CC: As the industry changes and trends come and go, how has your brand changed over the years? What has stayed the same?
JR: We have grown in many ways but at the core still lies my fascination with the hand made and the artisans. I don’t think art school ever left me!
CC: One of our favorite parts about your product is the exceptional quality and craftsmanship. Can you tell us a bit more about the block printing process and how your pieces are made?
JR: We start by making all our designs in NY. For block printing we create the artwork for each color when creating a multiple color print. It is a painstaking process on both sides of the ocean! We send over designs to the workshop who work with the block makers who are the master carvers of the blocks. They add their input and after a few months samples come back to NYC. Its an exciting process to see how the drawings translate into block.
Credit: John Robshaw
CC: What’s your best advice to customers who are looking to add your pieces into their coastal inspired home?
JR: I love indigo, and have a lot of blue and white throughout my collection, whether that’s quilts, pillows or sheets. I am also known for my combinations of brown and blue which is a nice way to keep it coastal, but add a bit more of a bohemian vibe.
Credit: John Robshaw
CC: We love how your designs mix and match so well together! What are your tips for mixing colors and patterns to create that effortlessly stylish look?
JR: Keep adding! I am a print junkie. I think having colors overlap helps everything come together (but then again I like it when prints have an argument of sorts). The team came up with four tips on how to mix and match pillows in our blog here, but I say just have fun.
Credit: Cailíní Coastal
CC: What are your 3 favorite John Robshaw pieces available at Cailíní Coastal?
JR:
This print has been part of my collection for years. Based on a vintage woodblock we originally used for carpets. The large scale makes printing a challenge, but well worth the effort.
Super fine cotton throws are hand stitched, crafted in thin layers of cotton voile, and a contrasting reverse of cotton chambray.
This print is one of our best selling and favorite blocks.
CC: What’s next for the John Robshaw brand? What are you the most excited about?
JR: We just launched a custom furniture collaboration with Cloth & Company that offers designer furniture at accessible pricing and ships in under 5 weeks (which is a very short amount of time!). I also opened a shop up in Falls Village, Connecticut. It’s been great fun. I am meeting customers and people that have had my bedding for years. I also now understand how much work it is and really appreciate all my store partners!
CC: When you’re not working, what can we find you doing?
JR: My wife and I hunt around up in Connecticut and travel whenever we can, anywhere we can get to with our daughter Regina. I am planning a trip back to India in March of next year (first trip back) and possibly Mexico City this holiday. I am also an avid reader. Just read Reamde by Neal Stephenson and it's my favorite book of 2021 thus far. Once in a while, I sneak in a game of squash.
Credit: John Robshaw
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