Historic Textile Brand Sister Parish Opens Its First Brick-and-Mortar Store
As we delve further into the digital age, everything—including retail—has shifted from in-person to online. One heritage brand, however, is embracing what shopping used to be back when you’d slowly wade through a store, touching the pieces that catch your eye. On November 12, Sister Parish will open its first brick-and-mortar outpost in historic Litchfield, Connecticut, a fitting location considering the storied brand’s illustrious history.
Sister Parish was founded in 1933 by Dorothy May Kinnicutt, an American interior decorator who outfitted the Kennedy White House. Though the famed residence has seen many designs come and go since Kinnicutt’s day, her work is largely still on display in the Yellow Oval room.
Sister Parish, both the name of the brand and the name Kinnicutt went by, is now run by her granddaughter, Susan Crater, and her great-granddaughter, Eliza Harris. "We always want to bring our clients into the world of Sister Parish," Carter tells House Beautiful. "A store lets you do that to the max! We see it as a living, breathing extension of our heritage, allowing people to experience Sister Parish’s legacy in person."
The 1,500-square-foot space is a beautiful display of what makes Sister Parish unique: playful patterns, warm colors, and special attention to detail. One such detail that will surely make its way across every design enthusiast’s explore page is the massive window overlooking the Litchfield Commons. Eye-catching view aside, what we imagine will also steal people’s hearts is the custom, hand-painted valance inspired by the sign hung outside Sister Parish’s original store.
"My grandmother opened the doors to her first design office and shop in 1933, and we have taken her style, tenacity, and love of comfort and home into today’s world," Crater adds. "Our sensibility is deeply rooted in traditional American decorative arts, and we celebrate the beloved designs from the prolific archive through our prints and materials."
There’s nothing we love more than a long-running family business that’s all about exquisite design. Go ahead, mark your calendar and plan a visit.
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