All About Looks Field Trip

www.allaboutlooks.com

          All About Looks is a fabric upholstery shop in the Depot District of Lubbock, Texas. The Depot District is most commonly known for its bars and nightclubs so it was interesting to find this hidden gem in such an unexpected location. The business is ran by a mother and her two adult daughters who each have their own specific talents that contribute to their business. The age differences seem to allow the business to keep up with the latest trends in fabric while also recognizing the classics. Another reason that “All About Looks” is successful, is the talented upholster they have working for them. The ladies explained how rare it is to find an experienced upholster these days because it has become a lost art over the years. His work was very impressive and you could tell that he had been doing it for a long time.

These women know all there is to know about fabrics. But if there is something they don’t know, they “Google it.” Of course the mother of the two daughters relies on her relationships with experts when she doesn’t know how flame retardant a certain fabric is, but the girls are trying to teach her that sometime its simply faster to find the answer on the internet. It was most enjoyable to see how these two generations are able to work together threw different cultural viewpoints to keep their business running successfully.

They have each had their own real life experiences and were able to share some of them with us. In our business of interior design and upholstery, it is more common to deal with unexpected client needs than it is to follow directions by the book.  This is why it is helpful to hear the weird stories from “the real world”.  They went on to explain many of the specific rules when choosing a fabric for a certain space. There is a lot to consider, such as: durability (number of rubs), fire resistance, availability, price, hardware, and so on.

In this economy, it is refreshing to see a small business such as theirs still running strong. It is inspiring to see a mother turn her hobby into a bonding experiencing with her daughters. Not to mention making money while doing it.