No. 15 — Josie Ford
Los Angeles based designer Josie Ford launched her textile practice Studio Ford in 2019. Rooted in a high regard for traditional craft, Josie collaborates closely with skilled artisans in Jaipur, India to create home textiles made exclusively with time-honored techniques such as block printing and handloom weaving. Each piece is made with intention from the very start, beginning with an original pattern or print that is hand painted or drawn by Josie in her LA studio. It was here that we met for our interview — the Studio Ford studio & showroom, located within the iconic Gaylord Apartments in downtown Los Angeles. The space showcases Josie's impeccable taste and eye for enduring vintage within a tactile home environment.
Where are you from originally?
I grew up in Montecito/Santa Barbara - a sleepy beach town just an hour and half north of Los Angeles.
Can you describe Studio Ford and your work/role?
Studio Ford is my textile practice focused on creating home textiles using traditional techniques like block printing and handloom weaving. I design everything we produce and work closely with artisans—many of whom I’ve collaborated with for years—in various workrooms across India. My role spans creative direction, material development, and maintaining the relationships that allow this kind of slow, thoughtful production to exist. It's a deeply collaborative process rooted in craft, history, and a belief in the beauty of the handmade.
Tell us about your background before launching Studio Ford – what did you study and what type of work were you doing?
Before launching Studio Ford, I studied printmaking, which is where my fascination with pattern and repetition really began. After college, I took the first job that I could find which not surprisingly, didn’t suit me creatively. I lasted less than a year. During that time, I found myself painting patterns on the side as my creative outlet, which eventually led me to India as soon as I quit the job. I was drawn to the depth and history of block printing and felt compelled to work with artisans who were keeping that tradition alive. I’ve always been drawn to things made by hand, and it felt important—especially as handmade processes become increasingly rare—to contribute to preserving and evolving this kind of craftsmanship.
What does your creative process look like when designing a new collection?
My process almost always begins with an impulse, something that moves me visually or emotionally. It could be a historical reference, a painting, a piece of writing, something in nature, or an old textile. I usually know immediately when something resonates deeply enough to explore further. From there, I dive into research, which often leads me down unexpected paths or toward combining multiple influences to create something new.
I begin designing by painting or drawing patterns by hand and often exploring many iterations of the same motif until it feels right. Since all of our pieces are reversible, each collection involves developing multiple patterns that work together in dialogue. Once the pattern direction is clear, I start working with color. I’m often inspired by the palettes found in paintings or interiors I’m drawn to, as well as the way colors age and soften in vintage textiles. I love that quality of imperfection and patina—it brings a sense of life and history to the work.
Studio Ford partners closely with artisans in Jaipur, India – what drew you to the craft in this part of the world?
Before launching Studio Ford, I had studied block printing in school, but only in a very academic or technical sense. I was always curious about traditional craft and wanted to explore how these processes were still being used in different parts of the world. I had never been to India before, and when I finally went, I really had no idea what to expect. The moment I arrived, I was completely inspired. There was such an energy around craft—beautiful textiles being sold on the streets, people eager to introduce me to family members or friends who worked in printing or weaving. It felt like the possibilities were endless.
I traveled around meeting different artisans, learning about various techniques, and was struck by how open people were to sharing their knowledge. There was a generosity and depth to the work that I hadn’t experienced before, and I left knowing I wanted to build something rooted in that exchange.
Can you speak to the collaborative process between yourself and the artisans you work with?
The collaborative process between myself and the artisans is the core of my work. It begins the moment my designs are carved into wood blocks by hand, using tiny, handmade chisels. Naturally, there is always an element of the block carvers hand work that is added to the design along with the texture of the wood. The carvers will make adjustments to the patterns as they are carving to make the repeat better or the pattern flow better to ensure it prints cleanly—always with the printers in mind. Once the blocks are complete, they’re handed over to the printers, who bring their own artistry to the process. Through subtle shifts in color, pressure, and alignment, they transform the design into something entirely new once printed and dried on fabric. Since I live in Los Angeles, I am not able to be there every time we print but I do make sure to go to India when we are sampling a new collection. We spend days together testing color palettes, re-scaling blocks, refining the prints and seeing how everything comes together in real time. Being in the same room allows for a kind of immediacy and creative exchange thats obviously impossible to replicate from afar. We also take lots of chai breaks in between the work. It really feels like a true collaboration built on trust, shared investment and joy in the making.
There are several notable vintage pieces in your studio – what era are you drawn to and where are your favorite places to source vintage?
My great-grandfather founded a company called Weber Showcase, which specialized in making display cabinets and custom cabinetry. Most notably, they created the interior displays for the Oviatt Building in downtown Los Angeles—an iconic example of Art Deco architecture. One of his original display pieces now sits at the center of my studio. It’s my favorite piece in the space and feels like a direct link to both my personal history and my design sensibility. It offers a quiet stage to showcase my textiles alongside antiques and collected objects—like a little world contained within a cabinet.
In the middle of the showroom is a 1930s Gispen Bauhaus daybed that I found at auction and reimagined with a new cushion, skirt, and pillows. I also have a beautiful antique desk from my friend Fernando Santangelo, a designer whose taste and eye I deeply admire, along with a Josef Maria Olbrich music room armchair from around 1900 that also came from Fernando. In the dressing room, there’s a Swedish Modern vanity from the 1960s that I sourced in Europe.
I source pieces from all over—auctions, dealers, estate sales, and often through friends and word of mouth. I’m drawn to objects that have a sense of soul and presence. My goal is to create an environment where vintage and contemporary live together in conversation.
Is there a piece in the Studio Ford collection that you cherish most?
I currently have the Passero Quilt on my bed because it works so well in my space. The green print is elegant and plays in nicely with my other pieces. I keep my Shunya Tuberous Quilt on hand too. I love the silk/cotton fabric and floral quilted pattern.
How would you describe your personal style? What influences are you currently drawn to?
My style is relaxed and refined—there’s a tailored quality to the way I approach things but with a sense of ease. I’m drawn to pieces that feel lived in and soulful. I love antique jewelry and anything gold. I love vintage designer clothes. I love clothes with interesting textiles. Lately and always I have been drawn to Japanese designers. I was in Japan for a show a few weeks ago and had much success finding 80s Comme des Garçons pieces.
What can we look forward to next from Studio Ford?
A house coat for fall and for the spring we will have a new textile collection and new furniture/objects/lighting.
