Chanee Vijay recently returned to the Midwest. (She’s a Topeka native who’s lived in Philadelphia, Charlotte and Manhattan Beach, CA.) While her home base has changed, she’s been firmly entrenched in sustainable design for most of her career.
“I’m basically self-taught. Once I decided that I wanted to own my own business, I had to look at what I could do. And I thought, ‘Well, I can sew!’”
As with all creative process, Vijay’s was a winding road. She began making her own blocks for printing fabric and then moved to screen-printing. Eventually, she was drawn to a “perfectly imperfect” look.
“I’m committed to sustainable fabrics and inks,” she says. “I love European hemp because of the slubs and handmade feel of it.”
Vijay has a broad collection of pillows, bags, poufs, aprons, and wristlets. Throws and tablecloths are coming soon.
Vijay’s studio is in East Brookside, and while she sells to retailers, she plans to be open on a regular basis, so people can wander in and see the complete collections.
“I really want to create products that will last. Everything is washable and made for real life—even life with children and dogs,” she says with a laugh.
Vijay’s products are available online, at her studio at 633 E. 63rd St. and Golden & Pine in Prairie Village.