Rachel A. Baumrin of Austin Designs
After more than 20 years working in the building trades on Martha's Vineyard, and running her own Hardware Store for 5 additional years, Rachel Austin Baumrin shifted gears and pursued a childhood dream to be a designer. In her younger years, Rachel was always at the sewing machine making the next best thing for her dolls, then it was costuming actors and actresses in the summers at Children's Theater summer program.
Rachel studied costume design for two years at SUNY Purchase, but found that it was not the right fit for her at the time. She finished her degree at Hunter College in an entirely different field, graduated and moved to the Island permanently. Rachel found that she had a talent with a paint brush and began what would be a lengthy career painting homes inside and out all over the island. She then opened a hardware store in 2008 and closed it in 2012 as the economy took a hard hit. After a year of soul searching, photography, gardening and healing Rachel found herself returning to that childhood dream once again.
Since 2012, Rachel has settled in as a fashion and accessory designer creating beautiful products which include, purses, bags, shawls, eye pillows, herbal heat packs, face and sleep masks and more. Now surrounded by her 5 sewing machines and countless yards of amazing fabrics, she artfully designs and hand builds each one-of-a-kind original piece. She has been a vendor at several art fairs over the years, as well as the the Vineyard Artisan’s Festivals, and has recently launched a new venture, Martha’s Vineyard Made, a storefront and online shop offering a collection of beautifully crafted items from Martha’s Vineyard Artists.
Find her online at:
Instagram: @austindesignsmv
Facebook: @austindesignsmv