Brandy Evans-Moore

One of the greatest challenges I have faced throughout my career is the inherent uncertainty of the furniture and textile industry. It is an industry closely tied to the economy and consumer spending, and when the economy slows, furniture purchases are often among the first things consumers postpone. As a result, even talented and dedicated professionals can find themselves facing layoffs or career transitions through no fault of their performance.
To build a long-term career in this industry, you have to be resilient, adaptable, and prepared to reinvent yourself when circumstances change.

I wish I had learned earlier to be patient and enjoy the process. There is no finish line we are all racing toward. Take the time to learn from the experienced people around you, ask questions, and listen. Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow, and often the most challenging moments teach you the most. Enjoy where you are while continuing to grow.

One skill that has contributed most to my success is creative resilience—learning not to take feedback personally. We aren’t always designing for our own tastes; we’re designing for the customer. Over a career, you create countless fabrics, and not everyone is going to love every design. You have to be willing to let go, keep experimenting, and continue pushing new ideas. Staying open throughout the creative process has allowed me to grow and become a stronger designer.

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to keep things in perspective. At the end of the day, I design pretty fabric—I’m not curing cancer. There will be good days, bad days, successes, and setbacks, but there are very few true fabric emergencies. I’ve learned not to let one mistake or disappointment feel bigger than it is. Take a breath, learn from it, and keep moving forward. A career is never a straight line, and there will always be another opportunity to succeed.

I see AI becoming an important tool in the future of textile design, and designers will need to learn how to work in tandem with it. I see it as a way to explore ideas, experiment, and expand the creative process—not as the end result. Textiles are inherently tactile, and understanding how something feels, performs, and connects with a customer still requires a human touch. The best use of AI will be to enhance creativity, not replace the designer behind it.

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing someone get as excited about a design as I am. I call my designs my “little babies,” so there’s something really special about seeing other people connect with and love them too. The ultimate reward is walking onto a retail floor and seeing a fabric I designed on a finished piece of furniture. Watching something go from an idea in my head to a product someone chooses for their home never gets old.