December 30, 2019
Reflecting on the Decade
What a decade it has been! It’s bizarre to look back on ten years… it feels impossible that they’ve passed so quickly, yet the changes have been mountainous. Ten years ago, I was 20 years old, attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. I fiercely knew I wanted to work in interiors, but wasn’t quite sure what it would look like (had someone told me I would start an antique rug company I would have laughed in their face).
After my NYC stint, I moved to Los Angeles, where I spent five incredible years. It was in LA that I started Frances Loom, having absolutely no idea what it would become… much to my surprise! All I was aware of was the passion, heart, and soul (and the blood, sweat and tears) that I was putting into the brand.
Then there were the relationships, of course! I was in and out of love three different times in the last decade, I even moved to London for it! Towards the latter end of my twenties, I went through what was the most challenging time of my life. I began struggling with mental health challenges that included an extended period of debilitating panic attacks — on top of that, I was going through a break up with the guy I moved to London for. After experiencing, what I call, a spiritual awakening of sorts propelled by the anxiety and panic, I was forced to make some big life changes and I finally began seeing the light in a sea of darkness.
It was at the end of 2018 that I launched a podcast called Joan, where I interviewed ten different women on their experiences with mental health, in hopes of helping anyone else struggling. I then made the decision to stay in London, despite my break up, and decided to bring on my roommate and best friend as my business partner (Hi Heather!) and we’ve spent the last year focusing on growing Frances Loom. We re-launched the Heritage collection, refurbished a collection of antique furniture, launched pillows, and we have lots of exciting new plans for 2020!
All in all, in ten years, I have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But what I’ve learned is that this is part of the human experience, in fact, it is the most beautiful part of being alive. We have been given these bodies to feel the fullness that life has to offer. How can we feel the purity of joy without going through the mud every once in a while? I don’t believe we can… Life is cyclical. When we can learn to ride the wave, knowing that we’ll always come back up even when it doesn’t feel humanly possible, this is when life starts to work with us. I look forward to the next decade ahead, to the highs and the lows, to riding the wave and seeing where it takes me.
Thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me, to everyone who has supported Frances Loom, it’s not possible for me to put my gratitude into words. Cheers to new beginnings!
2 comments
Hi Judy, Thank you for your kind words, I’m so pleased you enjoyed reading it. The name came about when I was brainstorming one day – Frances is my mum’s middle name and Loom simply refers to the apparatus on which rugs are woven
Kelly
January 02, 2020
Thank you for sharing your story! You are brave. Tell me about the name Frances Loom?
JUdy ZImmerman
December 31, 2019
