Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah.
Hi Deborah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up on a farm in Minnesota — in a home built by my great-grandfather Magnus, a Swedish immigrant, entrepreneur, and caretaker of the land.
From a young age, I found solace in expression — through fabric, color, sketches, notebooks, and words. I didn’t yet know where that impulse would carry me, but I learned there was a way for me to speak through making beautiful things.
My first formal entrepreneurial venture began in fashion design. I launched my namesake brand in 1983 as a young woman with an idea for a belt crafted from an unusual material: Milanese Mesh. I’d already been designing for other brands, and as a Parsons alum, I was classically trained in fashion.
What I knew about design was greater than what I knew about business back then. That first business became my laboratory: I learned to navigate supply chains, aesthetics, client desires, and self-doubt all at once. There were many late nights sketching, making samples, sourcing materials, shipping, recovering from failed orders — and moments when a design came alive, worn by the most interesting people, featured in magazines, and carried by the best stores.
I was immersed in lessons about craftsmanship, authenticity, and resilience. I later pivoted from belts to clothing when my line was badly knocked off by a Los Angeles belt designer in 1990.
Over time, I began to feel a shift: fashion design — beautiful as it is — is a medium, not the full container for what I want to bring. I found myself drawn to storytelling, to heart-centered mentoring, to the power of voice and stage. The tension between commerce and soul kept calling me deeper.
The turning point came during COVID. Many of us were labeled “non-essential,” myself included. I didn’t listen — I kept working — pivoting to create what people needed in that moment: masks. But I also witnessed the emotional unraveling. Businesses shuttered. Self-identity challenged. Depression crept in. That was when I began exploring new ways to share: reflections, essays, mentorships, small speaking events, eco fashion course creation — doors began to open.
Today, I navigate a hybrid identity: I am an entrepreneur with an eco fashion brand — and also a writer, speaker, mentor. I’ve always been guided by the themes of transformation, creative sovereignty, and resonance. My design roots still inform everything — the discipline, the aesthetic eye, the devotion to beautiful form.
My desire is to hold space for others who are pivoting, questing, awakening — and to support intuitive, creative journeys.
What feels most alive now is the bridge: between creative output and inner calling. I’m stepping toward larger platforms, deeper embodiment, and greater service — telling stories that awaken, mentoring people to own their voice, and weaving a field where craft and soul converge.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been anything but smooth — but I wouldn’t trade the texture of the road for a straight path.
There have been seasons of deep uncertainty. I’ve had work knocked off. I’ve watched entire product lines disappear due to unscrupulous sales reps. I’ve weathered the quiet months, the cash flow crunches, and the production and staffing challenges that arise during those wildly busy times.
COVID was a significant inflection point. Being labeled “non-essential” hit in a personal way — but only for a moment. After decades of building a creative business from the ground up, I knew better. It reminded me of something essential: I can design my way through anything. And more than that — I don’t give up.
I witnessed how many people around me were struggling, not just financially, but existentially. The struggle wasn’t only about business — it was about identity, meaning, and even more so, connection. That was when I realized my next work would need to include the emotional and spiritual layers, too.
Even the small daily disruptions — like my cat, Raven, waking me up at 4 a.m. — have mirrored the deeper truth: nothing stays fixed, and the path unfolds with presence, not predictability.
What’s helped me through it all is devotion to my core values — to what I love and what I resonate with. My love for nature. My devotion to beauty and craftsmanship. And to the people I serve.
I’m grateful for the part of me that refuses to quit — even when I’ve had to pause, pivot, or grieve a version of myself that no longer fits.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work lives at the intersection of sustainability, design, and storytelling. I’m a designer, writer, mentor, and speaker — all anchored by the themes of transformation, coherence, and creative integrity.
I lead an eco fashion brand that centers sustainability, craftsmanship, and conscious design. My work emphasizes natural materials, slow fashion principles, and elegant, enduring forms. I don’t design for trends — I design for resonance.
I’m also a mentor, primarily to students and emerging designers in the U.S. and abroad who seek to learn my methods of eco-conscious design. Through internships and mentorships, I teach practical skills in sustainable fashion — but I also share the deeper philosophies behind the work: honoring the materials, the process, and the cultural context.
During COVID, I created a course called Creating Eco-Conscious Fashion to meet the rising need for sustainable design education. It’s been a powerful way to share what I’ve learned and to help others bring their values into form through design.
I’ve been invited to speak on panels, teach courses, and lead conversations around fashion’s future — particularly how we can create with both beauty and responsibility.
What sets my work apart is its integration. I don’t separate aesthetics from ethics, or creativity from care. People come to my work for the garments — but stay for the story, the values, and the feeling of connection to something deeper.
I’m most proud of staying aligned — of creating work that reflects my values, and of mentoring the next generation of designers who want to do the same. It’s not just about what we make — it’s about how we make it matter.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve always said: I don’t gamble in Vegas — I gamble with fabric.
Starting my own line at 25 was a major risk. I used a $10,000 inheritance from my father — the third-generation caretaker of the land I grew up on — to buy materials, equipment, and teach myself how to make belts. I had no safety net, just a vision and the willingness to figure it out as I went. That first leap taught me how to trust my instincts, improvise, and move through uncertainty with creativity.
In creative work, everything is a kind of risk. You’re constantly investing time, resources, and energy into something that doesn’t exist yet — and may never fully land the way you imagine. But playing it safe never felt like a real option.
Over time, I’ve learned that risk isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it’s quiet — like saying no to a project that doesn’t align, or walking away from a product line that no longer feels like mine.
What guides me is this: If the risk is in service to growth, integrity, or creative freedom — then it’s usually worth it.
Pricing:
- Eco fashion pieces — Available seasonally through my website and studio. In general, the price range varies from $70 to $2000 depending on materials and complexity.
- Creating Eco-Conscious Fashion Course — Offered online; mentored and non-mentored pricing and enrollment details are available by request or via course platform. In-person workshops are being launched this fall.
- Speaking engagements / guest lectures — Pricing varies depending on travel, format, and topic. Please reach out directly for availability.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://deborahlindquist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborahlindquist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeborahLindquistEcoLifestyle/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-lindquist-47423b27/
- Twitter: https://x.com/deblindquist
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EcoDeborah/videos
- Other: https://deborahlv.substack.com
Image Credits
Photographers: Jenn Spain Photography, Brian Van der Brug/Los Angeles Times
