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Shabby Chic
In the 1980s, designer Rachel Ashwell made the term “Shabby Chic”
synonymous with her design sense and lifestyle based on the esthetics of
beauty, comfort, and function. Her company, Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell,
creates the authentic Shabby Chic product which is the inspiration for the
design style/phenomenon bearing its name. The company was founded in 1989
with the opening of the original store in Santa Monica, CA. which sold
Rachel’s washable slipcovered furniture and fabulous flea markets finds.
The Shabby Chic brand has expanded over the years to include furniture, bedding,
fabrics, design books, and
most
recently a cable television series.
Born and raised in England, Rachel Ashwell was already an innovative commercial and print stylist when the birth of her first child led to her original design concept. "I needed a versatile home that could handle children and a busy lifestyle," Rachel says. "The answer came to me in the form of slipcovers. They could be easily washed and gave a warm, open feel to the rooms." Her friends soon wanted their own set of Rachel-designed slipcovers. She has since been credited by the US home furnishings industry with reintroducing slipcovered furniture to the US market.
With the popularity of her original line of slipcovered sofas, chairs and ottomans, Rachel decided that designing a fabric line would be the next logical step for her growing business, thus, the introduction of Shabby Chic Fabrics. These fabrics are available in washable poplins and linens featuring her pastel prints reminiscent of those time worn and faded by the sun. Rachel's creative momentum continued with the launch of Shabby Chic Home, a line of upscale poplin and T-shirt bedding and Rachel Ashwell Designs Collection, a line of furniture inspired by her love of quality antiques available exclusively at Shabby Chic stores. Collection includes a dining table and chairs, coffee table, end table, nightstand, beds, mirrors, and most recently army cots and camp stools all of which are hand finished with latex paint.
Subsequently, Shabby Chic Studio, a more affordable line of slipcovered furniture and fabrics with the same elegance and comfort as the original line; Shabby Chic Baby, bedding and accessories for infants; and Shabby Chic Accessories, such as lampshades, chair pads, and backpacks, debuted to rave reviews.
| Complementing the growth of the Shabby Chic brand was the publication of Rachel’s first design book Shabby Chic in 1996. Two, more books, Shabby Chic's Treasure Hunting and Decorating Guide and Shabby Chic Home, followed with a fourth, Shabby Chic's The Gift of Giving. All of these books present Rachel’s distinctive decorating and design concepts. |
In fall 2000, "Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic" on style. premiered launching the Shabby Chic lifestyle onto cable television. The show airs weekly on E! and daily on style. and features episodes such as Petals, Shabby Chic Bachelors, Tabletop China, Baby, and Flea Market Antiques.
Shabby Chic products are available at Shabby Chic stores in Santa Monica, Fashion Island in Newport Beach, and Malibu, CA and Chicago, IL as well as wholesale accounts throughout the world.
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