Kimberley Osborne-Milstein

I began modeling at 18 years old and was affiliated with The Ford Modeling Agency. I appeared in magazines, catalogs, trade publications, commercials, tv and film and traveled and lived in various places . (KimmyO.com)

While working, I attended Ursuline College and had wonderful teachers ...

I began modeling at 18 years old and was affiliated with The Ford Modeling Agency. I appeared in magazines, catalogs, trade publications, commercials, tv and film and traveled and lived in various places . (KimmyO.com)

While working, I attended Ursuline College and had wonderful teachers who were very understanding and gracious enough to work around my schedule (Thank God for those nuns!).

In 1998, I graduated with a Merchandising & Design degree and continued to model and travel. I always had a passion for graphic prints on fabrics and merchandise and would sew fashionable accessories in my spare time. I started selling my creations to boutiques and exhibiting at trade shows.

While modeling, traveling, designing, sewing and shopping for fabrics, I began to notice the same or similar prints on products. I wanted to have more of a "unique look" and went searching for a graphic designer to help create designs for the merchandise line. My younger brother who is very innovative and has great business sense suggested I build a website and hold a contest for artists from all over the world.

We began creating and designing a user-friendly website and decide that "Winning Artists" will receive monies, be profiled on the website and receive residuals on the sales of products. (similar to what I learned as a model/actress).

Our concept begins to take on a "life of its own" and before we know it, the website evolves into an online platform and forum for artists including a voting system. We name the business: Textile Republic!

We decide to feature artists and various information on the hangtags of the TR merchandise. We feel that there is a lack of recognition regarding graphic artists in the retail/merchandising business and want to give maximum exposure and credibility to the artists!

Textile Republic goes live in 2008 and to "our surprise", thousands of artists began submitting designs telling us that they loved the idea/concept. With all the positive feedback and reassurance, we decide to invest more time and finances into the TR website in 2010. We also purchase more printers and heat presses and decide to create most everything in-house. In 2011, the "new" Textile Republic website launches!!!!

We owe Textile Republic's success thus far to the many talented artists who believed and continue to believe in the TR concept and vision! We look forward to growing together even more as a community and evolving into a successful and creative brand that signifies the ARTIST!
"At Textile Republic, imagination reigns" www.TextileRepublic.com