10 to Watch: Alicia D. Keshishian

Owner
Alicia D. Keshishian Carpets
www.adkcarpets.com

Alicia D. Keshishian’s bold and funky aesthetic takes the floor to new heights. All of her pieces are custom-made to order, and with her new eco-friendly line, dubbed SER+, this designer isn’t just brave—she’s responsible, too.

SER+ carpets are handwoven in Nepal in a GoodWeave-certified facility. “My business works closely with GoodWeave, a non-profit which ensures healthy working conditions for professional weavers. Most importantly, GoodWeave makes sure no child labor is used to create my carpets. 

A percentage of each rug produced is given to GoodWeave to support the weavers,” she explains.

Keshishian is fearless with color and it shows. From deep, bloody reds to tranquil blues and greens, she works tirelessly to meet the needs of her client, making sure each piece reflects their style and beauty. She also hopes that this product category stands the test of time, and that traditional weavers will always be hand-tying handspun yarns into beautifully woven carpets. “There is nothing better than the human touch applied,” she says.

Keshishian has a strong background in the carpet industry as her Armenian-born grandfather was a renowned Oriental rug authority; the company he founded decades ago is managed to this day by her uncle and cousin in Washington, D.C.

And like others on this list, Keshishian cherishes how her craft marries fashion-forward designs with traditional techniques. She loves that at its core, weaving “is an ancient form created by human hands.”