The colorful framed textiles sold by St. Louis native Christina Bryant’s new online shop, St. Frank (stfrank.com), all tell a story. Artisans from around the world carefully handcraft each item, whether it’s an Henri Matisse–inspired royal-blue embroidery from Central Mexico’s indigenous Otomí people or a geometric textile from the Lakai of Uzbekistan.
Bryant works closely with the artisans, hoping the end result will better their lives. “The artists get royalties, and we help teach them how to be more efficient while maintaining the high quality of their work,” she says. “We are very invested in their success.”
Her background informed the idea behind St. Frank’s framed textiles. At one time, she worked at Christy’s auction house and The Museum of Modern Art in New York. After earning a master’s degree in education and an MBA from Stanford University, she consulted on Partners In Health’s efforts to improve medical care in Rwanda. “St. Frank is a merging of my passion and my career,” she says. “I saw so many beautiful things when I was abroad that weren’t available locally. I knew I wanted to work with artisans in developing countries.”
The textiles on St. Frank’s site sell for $645 to $4,300, though Bryant is expanding the product line with more affordable prints. “We have an idea of what our customers’ homes might look like: very global, decorated with antiques and things from their travels,” she says. “Although we have a variety of designs—from a subtle ikat to modern and graphic—we see them all coexisting.”
