Once upon a time, New Orleans native Stephanie Hemel of Maison Nola dreamed of becoming an artist. Like many who embark upon this path, it took a for Hemel to find her way. While her niche wasn’t an artistic medium she could have anticipated, in hindsight, Hemel realizes that all along, there was a trail of breadcrumbs.
“I grew up with a very crafty mom who sewed and knitted and did all the decoupage things of the ‘70s and ‘80s, and I was right there with her every moment,” says Hemel.
Hemel earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramic sculpture at Loyola University, followed by an MFA in sculpture at San Francisco Art Institute. During her last semester, Hemel landed an internship with Pottery Barn, which turned out to be a pivotal moment. Working in the textile department, Hemel discovered a new application for her creative skills.
“I did not know that textiles or sewing could be a job,” she says. “No one ever told me that was possible.” This realization led to a job as a designer for Pottery Barn Kids, where Hemel designed nursery textiles, traveled to far flung places including Paris, London and cities in China for inspiration, and learned the industry.
After a decade in textiles, Hemel returned to New Orleans to be with her high school sweetheart, making a dramatic entrance a few hours ahead of Hurricane Isaac’s landfall. In an equally dramatic twist, Hemel moved without securing a new job much to her dad’s chagrin. She did however have a plan. Hemel wanted to start her own business and soon after her arrival, she noticed a gap in the textile market.
“There really was nothing elevated happening,” Hemel says of the local baby bedding scene. “I’m like, oh, my God, I could do so much better than this.”
Maison Nola was born, with a laser sharp focus on distinctive, locally-inspired, traditional designs. Hemel’s first signature print, the Storyland Toile, captures the beloved New Orleans landmark at City Park. “I noodled every single elephant ear leaf,” she says, “I put in the swans and the ducks. You can see the Spanish moss on the oak trees. I wanted to be very much ‘ours’.” What started as bedding soon expanded to apparel and blankets, filling a void in the New Orleans textile market. But as with any good hero’s journey, Hemel has had to face off against a monster or two.
“The business side has always been the challenge,” she says. From accounting to shipping logistics, she had to learn everything from scratch. But with the support of her family and friends, lessons learned at Pottery Barn Kids and a healthy dose of perseverance, Hemel slayed her monsters. Today, Maison Nola is sold at retailers across Louisiana and Mississippi (and online at maisonnola.com) and is known for its sophisticated designs that spark sentiment and resonate with customers.
“I just want to evoke emotion and I just want someone to go, oh, isn’t that so sweet?” Hemel says. She finds inspiration in everyday life, constantly seeking new ways to express her creativity and keep telling stories. “I want to create things that I don’t see yet. I want to create novelty and newness, and I don’t want to keep doing the same things.”
