The Hot NEW UnZipped Pillow Collaboration

Hello Fabulistas!

From your living room to your bedroom, adding decorative pillows with color and texture is the perfect way to enhance your space and give it that extra “je ne sais quoi.” I’m excited to introduce you to Deborah Main, aka The Pillow Goddess! She and I collaborated to bring you the hot new UnZipped Pillow collection, available exclusively at RobinBaronDesign.com.

About the Pillow

Robin: Deborah, my darling, I’m so excited to finally be launching our pillow collab! Tell me, where did your nickname “The Pillow Goddess” come from?

Deborah: It started 18 years ago when I was schlepping my pillows around in my car to present to stores.  They used to say “Oh yeah, I’ve heard about you, you’re the pillow lady”. Then Houston House & Home interviewed me and dubbed me The Pillow Goddess. It has stuck ever since.

Robin: That’s so fun! How did you get into designing and making pillows?

Deborah: Well, originally, I was in non-profits most of my life and after having some serious health problems, I couldn’t work anymore. One day, I walked into a fabric store and had this amazing epiphany.  All of a sudden, I was at the cutting table and I created my first pillow.

Robin: It’s amazing how something like that can happen and completely change the course of your life into a reimagined beautiful new career.

The Meeting of Two Creatives

Robin : We met quite a number of years ago…at the Dallas Market Center, right?

Deborah: Yes! But we met online way before that. You were showing your beautiful line of home-furnishings at a showroom at Dallas Market. I went to meet you because I loved your design work and you were a fellow New Yorker.

Robin: Aaah, the power of social media!

Deborah: Yes, we were already friends for the longest time on Facebook and then when you meet in person for the first time, it’s like cementing the relationship. You just pick up where you left off online. It’s really amazing how that happens.

Robin: Absolutely!

Deborah: Right after we met, you invited me out to dinner with you. Actually Robin, you were the very first interior designer to invite me out to dinner. That meant so much to me, and I instantly felt like I could trust you as a friend. I knew we shared common values, and I also knew right then that I wanted to collaborate with you.

Trust is Key in Collaboration

Robin: I remember that we had dinner together a second time and that’s when you shared your idea for a pillow collaboration with me.  And your design really piqued my interest!

Deborah: Then in December 2020, after you launched your new e-commerce site, I gave you a call to congratulate you and continue our discussion about a collaboration. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as an entrepreneur you need to ask for what you want and go after it.

Robin: That’s right! And I’m so glad we connected to create The UnZipped Collection! A collaboration has to feel right and both partners have to have trust and great communication. You and I certainly have that.

Let’s Talk About the Pillows

Robin: So, tell me more about the pillows!

Deborah: The UnZipped pillows are very provocative, sexy, and super-soft. We made them in 8 different colorways of luxurious velvet. You can have the exposed zipper all the way up, down, or in between and it reveals this beautiful complementary fabric on the inside.  We do the reverse colorways too so people can shop all 16 color combinations to find what’s right for them.

Robin: One of the things I love about them is they’re super chic! You can use them in a lot of different ways like a cool modern space or mix them into something more transitional or traditional. It gives any space a little bit of an edge. I love the idea of styling a smaller pillow in front of a larger pillow in the opposite color.

Deborah: Yes, we have 3 different sizes and they look really great together. And while The UnZipped Pillow Collection is brand new to the public, it’s been in my brain for several years now. Robin, when you and I began this collaboration, you helped me perfect it and make it look as great as it does today. And it was so much fun to decide the colors, wasn’t it Robin?

Robin: It was! First of all, I love color. I loved playing with all the different color combinations for fabrics, zippers, and tassels. Speaking of which, let’s talk about this dramatic tassel, Deborah. It’s very long and it’s an important design element.

Deborah: That’s right Robin. The tassel is about 10-11” inches long. It’s handmade out of suede. It really does add a special and seductive touch! And sometimes the zippers are contrasting, sometimes they’re not. I really enjoyed working with you since you have so much experience selecting and pairing different colors. Robin, you’re a pro and very decisive.

Fashion Designer Laisa Macias; Photography by Juan Macias.