Merida

Designing & Presenting Limited-Edition Textiles as Collectible Works of Art

Textile Design & Brand Presentation for Merida

2022-2024

TEXTILE DESIGN · MATERIAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT · BRAND STRATEGY & DESIGN · CURATION · PROJECT MANAGEMENT & GALLERY COORDINATION

Overview

Merida is a luxury textile studio based in Fall River, MA, historically known as the “Spindle City.” The company evolved from producing mass-market rugs in sisal and jute to creating limited-edition, artisanal rugs in natural yarns, reflecting a commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability, and textile heritage.

Each collection draws inspiration from art movements including De Stijl, Arte Povera, and Land Art, exploring color, composition, and materiality through the language of the rug. During my time with the studio, I worked across textile design, material and color development, production, and presentation, designing a number of the limited-edition textiles featured throughout this project.

I.

Role

At Merida, I worked across textile design, material development, production, and the presentation of the collections. I designed limited-edition rugs across multiple collections, working with natural yarns, colorways, construction, and production to translate visual and material concepts into finished pieces. As the studio expanded its presence in gallery and exhibition contexts, I also helped develop a flexible folio system for organizing and presenting the growing body of work.

The system brought together curated selections by collection, construction, and colorway with flat-lay photography, generous white space, customizable contents and numbering, and adaptable packaging. I coordinated collection sets for gallery presentations, tested the system with clients, managed project development, and incorporated feedback from the creative and brand teams.

II.

Outcome

The work connected textile design, material development, and presentation across Merida's limited-edition collections. Rugs I designed were presented in gallery, exhibition, and design-fair contexts including Miami Basel, Design Miami, Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris, and Galerie Le Minotaure.

The folio also established a more adaptable way to organize and communicate available works across client presentations, exhibitions, photoshoots, art fairs, and loans, while creating an inventory workflow that made collections easier to track and curate. The system continues to provide a foundation for storytelling across future collections, helping connect the physical qualities of the textiles with the stories and contexts through which they are presented.

III.

CREDITS

Merida
https://meridastudio.com/

Creative Direction
Sylvie Johnson

Brand Management
Sarah Barkowski

Photography
Angel Tucker (Product)
Richard Powers (Collection)

Special Thanks
Merida Workshop Team

Rugs Designed
Totem in Gust (The Outside Within Collection); Aero in Mica (Arte Povera Collection, Castello di Rivoli); Embrace in Fern (The Outside Within Collection, Schindler House, LA); Brink in Oak, Silent in Gust, Crease in Oak (“Crossing Lines” Exhibition, NYC Gallery); Graffi in Gauje, Frammento in Mica, Vento in Nymphea (Arte Povera Collection); Xilo in Clay, Gesture in Brook (The Outside Within Collection); Glaze in Ivy (Yarn Unveiled Collection, “Tokonoma” Exhibition, Design Miami); Reef in Lava (The Outside Within Collection, “Beginnings’ Exhibition, Galerie Le Minotaure); Chitarra in Dune (Detail, Arte Povera Collection)