"When I started Lingua Franca, it wasn't meant to be a business. I was running another company and took up embroidery to get out of my brain. I was suffering from postpartum, and a therapist suggested I do something with my hands. I had an old sweater lying around, embroidered "booya" on it - my two-year-old son's suggestion - and Instagrammed it. Soon, friends were asking me for sweaters."
"Then, when Trump was elected in 2016, we were devastated. I needed a gift for Anna Carter, Graydon Carter's wife. At the time, Graydon was in a very public argument with Trump. I decided to have "I miss Barack" embroidered on the sweater, posted a photo, and it went totally viral. Then, one of the first things Trump did as president was to block citizens of certain countries, including Iran, from coming into the US."
Rachelle Hruska began Lingua Franca as a therapeutic embroidery hobby during postpartum and did not intend to start a business. Early handmade sweaters gained attention after an Instagram post and led to a 2016 Net-a-Porter partnership that required building a cashmere supply chain and hiring embroiderers. Initial designs honored her mother-in-law, Janet McPherson. The 2016 election prompted politically themed sweaters such as a viral "I miss Barack" piece. A subsequent travel ban affected Iranian stitchers and prompted donations to the American Civil Liberties Union. The brand has taken public stances on causes and accepted customer losses as worthwhile.
Read at Business Insider
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