Fotoula Lambros and Emily Thornhill
After years of working out of their living rooms, Fotoula Lambros and Emily Thornhill, designers of Femilia Couture, finally have a home for their line. The two recently opened a showroom in a Ferndale condo development tailor-made for entrepreneurs, where ground-floor offices are attached to walk-up residences.
The second-story condo is an eclectic mix of vintage furniture, but the real excitement is the showroom. The pair worked with interior designer Patrick Thompson on an organic space that reflects the brand’s design aesthetic. Natural elements coexist with elegant vintage chairs, and the dressing room “nest” — a mind-blowing structure built from twigs and branches — anchors the space. The large garage has been converted into a workroom, providing plenty of space to create.
Lambros and Thornhill both grew up with an interest in fashion and met in a color theory class at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Troy. Three years ago, they launched Femilia Couture, and since then, the brand has grown by leaps and bounds.
So is it difficult for them to live and work together? “It actually works out perfectly,” Thornhill says. Lambros adds, “Beyond business partners, we’re best friends — we’re like sisters — so it’s easy.”
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Written by: Rebecca Stevens | Photography by: Tamara Wade for Silver Thumb Photography
