Chantal Bradley Welcomes Us Into Her World of Pillows Home & Texture Home & Texture
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Chantal Bradley Welcomes Us Into Her World of Pillows

From leather lumbar to velvet and small, Modish Decor Pillows is a Black Woman-owned brand that has it all.

February 11, 2024 at 2:48 AM PST

What started as a passion for interior design as a young kid quickly turned into profit for Chantal Bradley. Founder and CEO of Modish Decor Pillows, a luxury decorative pillow brand, Bradley started her journey as an entrepreneur in 2015. The “can’t stop, won’t stop” hustle mentality of her hometown, New York City, fueled her drive and ambition to create a successful business and now she’s sharing her passion with others.

Offering upscale and luxurious pillow designs and candles, Bradley flaunts her posh style. Her universal designs speaks for themselves as it has now hit the online shelves at some of your favorite stores including Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Wayfair. Her products display a fresh and modern twist on pillows that can complete any space. If you’re overly obsessed with pillows, then this is for you.

In an interview with Home and Texture, Bradley takes us into her world of pillows with tips to style and how she got started.

Photo credit: @tell_telly / Instagram

Home & Texture: Why did you start the pillow brand that is Modish Decor Pillows — what was the inspiration behind it?

Chantal Bradley: I always had a passion for interior design since I was a kid and my interest increased as I got older and had my own space. I was always switching out like pillows covers, seasonal, and it go to a point where my linen closet was just full of pillows. I’m like, ‘OK, I’m not the only one that’s constantly buying pillows to change out throughout the season. This is a problem, so I’m going to solve it by selling pillows.’ It just became a hobby for me of always just decorating and constantly switching pillows all the time. I’m like, ‘you know what, let me sell pillows, let me sell pillow covers..’ so that it could be easier for people to store in their closets instead of actually having the inserts..”

Photo credit: Modish Decor Pillows

H&T: What is inspiration behind your design — are you inspired by daily life or was there that stuck to you when you first got started in the design industry?

CB: I would say it’s just kind of like fashion, like what’s trending, whats not trending. There was a time when we were just in to like snakeskin like 2 years ago..3 years ago maybe…4 years ago. So, then I had animal print pillows. Last year or the year before, everyone was big on Bouclé so then I had Bouclé covers. So it’s just like clothing I would say — decorating your home. It’s pretty much like clothing, but obviously it’s for your home. I just to stay on top of trends that are, you know, current and then I just put that into the pillow world.

H&T: Your business is online. We’ve seen it on Wayfair, Bloomingdale, and in retail in general. What did that process look like as far as you getting into retail?

CB: Well, I just got really lucky for the most part. The retailers reached out to me, so that was pretty cool. Wayfair was first, then I worked my way into Nordstrom. Right after Nordstrom, Bloomingdale reached out. Yeah, I kind of..I think it’s more so of your hard work paying off. Like obviously if you stay consistent, people are going to reach out to you. And Ive been doing this for 8 years now. So, you know its more of the consistency and, you know, till this day I’m still shocked that I’m in these stores, but you know, you just have to stay consistent. Just the whole getting into the store, it wasn’t like a hard process I think it definitely opened my audience bigger to people who shop at Nordstrom or Bloomingdale. So I’ve definitely gotten new customers coming to my regualr.

H&T: Do you have a specific store you’d like to see your pillows in that you haven’t yet?

Yeah, SAKS. I think it’s possible. Or any other, like, retail store that’s within Bloomingdale, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, you know. I think it’s possible.

H&T: What tips would you give to a first time homebuyer or someone who just got their first apartment about styling pillows?

Photo credit: @modishdecorpillows / Instagram

CB: Measurement. You have to measure everything! Just when you think like — I get it all the time. ‘Oh this pillow is too big for, you know, my bed, or oh this pillow is too small!’ Like really taking measurements saves returns, costs, everything. It just saves everything, depending on how big your sectional is or definitely your bedding. You want to make sure things fit, you didn’t have to think about it twice. It’s going to work.

H&T: What pillow is your favorite and what do you recommend for minimalist and maximalist?

Photo credit: @tell_telly / Instagram

CB: My leather lumber pillow. It’s such a good, sturdy leather and it’s heavy. There’s a zipper in the back, so, yeah this is definitely one of my favorites. Um, I would recommend this. It’s so good and it’s good for pets. If you have pets in your house. You can just wipe off any thing…it’s just an easy clean up.

H&T: How would you describe your design style?

CB: Truthfully, I’m boring. I just like black, clean lines, nudes…that’s just me. But, obviously it’s not about me. It’s about my audience, like, everyone has different taste. so i try to make sure i have every color possible in velvets, or every nude or every shade of this, every texture for the most part. I just came out with my teddy pillows. So, I try to make sure that I’m accommodating everyone, not just me…”

H&T: Where do you see Modish Decor Pillows in the near future?

Photo credit: @tell_telly / Instagram

CB: I have some things in mind. I just see it growing the way its growing now. You couldnt tell me 8 years ago I would be be here now. I just see it continuing to grow. You just never know, you  have to just stay focused and do what you love. Not for the money, do what you love because everything will come together.

H&T: What advice do you have for anyone wanting to enter the design industry?

CB: Even if it’s the design industry, hair industry, or whatever industry, makeup…you’ll figure it out. You have to just do research and just, you know, be consistent. That’s really what it is. Like I know it sounds so easy…but that’s really what it is. If that’s what you love, it’s all going to come together.

 

 



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