#HASHTAG: ALICIA SEGAL

ALICIA SEGAL and her husband Robert founded Unison, a Chicago-based design-driven home furnishings brand in 2006. After moving to Finland in 1999 to work for the iconic Marimekko, the couple returned to Chicago four years later and established a freelance design studio—collaborating with such top brands as Crate & Barrel. Their passion for design led them to found Unison, where they began crafting their own signature collections of bedding, throw pillows, and bathroom linens, while also curating pieces from like-minded designers. This month, Unison will launch a limited-edition collection of Moroccan pillows crafted from vintage Moroccan fabrics hand-picked by Unison from a family-run textile purveyor on the East Coast. Each of the 37 pillows is one-of-a-kind and is cut and sewn in Chicago. The vintage fabrics were handmade by local artisans in the western region of Morocco who have preserved traditional weaving techniques passed down through generations. Alicia recently took a break from design to share how she stays on trend between orders.

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

I’m reading Love People, Use Things by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. They are known as “The Minimalists” and reading their books encourages me to keep pursuing a simpler life. My sister sent me Everything That Remains as a gift. We are both trying to purge our lives of things and calm our lives from the enormity of “stuff.” I’m also reading Burn Book by Kara Swisher, a gift my husband gave me recently after he saw her at the Aspen Ideas Festival. We are both also trying to guide ourselves and our kids better in this crazy world of tech life. Her experiences help me round out and prove my own beliefs/back up my opinions when I need them in the face of my kids. Another one I’m still reading is The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, a gift given to me by a friend. We are both busy moms and find inspiration in creating beautiful spaces and we agree you can pick this book up anytime, read any passage, and feel good again. Bonus if you are a music lover, it’s really inspiring to read Rick’s words knowing how much he has also contributed to the music world.

#ON MY MOBILE

Online I’m not a big follower except for Instagram, mainly for design and recipe research. A few I currently follow are @unisonhome, @dwellmagazine, @thedesignfiles, @boredinchicago, @nytimes, @carolinagelen, @secret.chicago, and @midwestmunchers.

#IN MY EARBUDS

Podcasts I check in on are Design Better, Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting Podcast Series, The Great Creators with Guy Raz, Hidden Brain, and This American Life.