Louise Gray is a contemporary quilt company founded by Alexandra Bennett and Jocelin Johnson in Minneapolis, MN. Natural storytellers with an eye for refined design, these two are motivated to fuel mindful consumerism. Alexandra was kind enough to tell me their story, more about their company, and the process behind their quilts.
Alexandra and Jocelin have been great friends for years, both with family backgrounds in quilting. They recognized and admired quilts for their quality of nostalgia. "It's amazing how everyone has a story about a quilt." But, they noticed that these stories are typically about quilts being given to people from older generations. With the goal of not letting this lovely tradition go away, Louise Gray was born.
Jocelin creates the designs with the intention of continuing the traditional craft while also fitting into the modern home and being aesthetically pleasing. Minimalists at heart, their style is simple but never boring, functional but always pretty enough to hang on the wall. The quilts are made in Fridley, Minnesota by a family owned workroom; each quilt goes through the hands of six artisans.
In a world of disposability, they are meant to last not only for a lifetime, but generations to come. The world of mindful consumerism is where the landscape's going, but it's still extremely difficult with textiles - particularly textiles for the home. Louise Gray found a niche that is much needed and works towards creating goods that are made as close to the home as possible.
Sadly, the era we live in today is one of outsourcing and often un-mindful consumerism. By staying true to their goal of re-owning and re-establishing the textile industry in the USA, this business helps change that consumption back to an approach of mindfulness. While it's challenging to keep something hand curated and affordable, that is something they are always focused on: accessibility. Quilts tell a story, and Louise Gray's story is simple: quality over quantity.
