#HASHTAG: MINDY TURITZ

Winnetka’s MINDY TURITZ spent her childhood cutting up fashion magazines to make collages for her room in Kansas. Post college, she set her sights on New York City where she spent the next ten years building a career in marketing and brand strategy for brands like Polo Ralph Lauren and Chanel.

“I loved seeing new collections make their way from mood boards to the store. Yes the designs are king, but the business of fashion was also exciting.” She’s toured Coco’s private apartment (timelessly stylish and located directly above the Paris workroom), been inside the tiny ateliers where they sew sequins on the tweed jackets, and in the chemist lab where the ‘nose’ develops perfume scents. For those Chanel fans, Chanel No. 5 was the fifth scent sample Coco tested.

Turitz credits working in fashion for teaching her about building a business and telling a brand’s story. She and her husband eventually left New York to raise a family in Chicago, where they had met while earning MBAs. She shifted into consulting for Chanel and then Crate & Barrel. Like Chanel, she notes that Crate is owned by real stewards of the brand.

“There’s a sense of authenticity and dedication to how it’s made that remains so appealing to me. It also sparked my interest in home decor,” she explains. When her three kids started school, Turitz began thinking seriously about starting a brand of her own. Enter her friend, Erin McCarthy, who sent an email that started with, “I have an idea. Can we meet for coffee?” Several cups later, they co-founded MERINDA Studio, a textile and wallpaper home decor company.

“Our designs at MERINDA are based on Erin’s photography, which really allows us to create something entirely different in the market. We also want to create items with as much quality and sustainability as we can.” She notes that the designs are digitally printed in the U.S. by a handful of small producers. Printing is on demand using nontoxic ink, which conserves water, eliminates over-production and provides the benefit of design customization. “I love the flexibility of changing the color or scale of a design. Our interior design clients love it too!” she adds. MERINDA Studio turned three last fall and design additions include Wanderlust, a collection inspired by Mexico, wallpaper borders, and several brand collaborations. Most recently, the brand introduced a limited release art collaboration with ARCH, a popular vintage and garden and home store in Winnetka. Reflecting on their growth, Turitz says, “creating MERINDA with Erin makes my life feel full circle. It’s been so fun and fulfilling, and we’re just getting started!”

#ON MY NIGHTSTAND

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. I love the voice and wit she gives female characters at various stages in their lives. She also sets her stories in interesting cultural settings—the SNL writers’ room, the Bachelor set, boarding school, etc. I just finished Pineapple Street, which was lighthearted and full of funny family dynamics. I need to read for entertainment before bed or my mind will race and I won’t fall asleep.

#ON MY MOBILE

A lot of interior design magazine accounts like @houseandgardenuk, @elledecor, @housebeautiful. Can’t get enough install shots in my life. And even though I’m out of the fashion biz, I still follow @fashionweek and @voguerunway because I like to see the upcoming trends, which often find their way into interiors. To inspire my hobbies: @halfbakedharvest and @gardenista_sourcebook. To laugh: @celestebarber. Aside from social media, I’m playing Words with Friends and real Mah Jongg.

#IN MY EARBUDS

For walking my dog, Reed, it’s the podcasts SmartLess for the banter and Pivot for current business and news events. I’d sit down for a dream dinner with any of these folks. To keep up with the interior design industry, I like Business of Home or Dear Alice. Both of these podcasts snag great interviews and cover timely topics. When it comes to music, having lived in New York for 10 years, I think a lot of the music stuck with me … The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Vampire Weekend.