Abby Price always dreamed of running her own business, she just needed to find the perfect fit. After a brief stint in public relations, a layoff led the 29-year-old to focus on her graduate fashion studies at Parsons School of Design. Like many during the pandemic, she began experimenting. Her initial venture into dry floral arrangements and vintage housewares eventually blossomed into something new: embroidery.
This time, it truly clicked. A rapid two-year rise saw her company, Abbode, achieve a pivotal moment with an unexpected celebrity endorsement. Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter, wearing a custom-embroidered shirt by Abbode, graced the stage of ‘Saturday Night Live’ last week, propelling the brand into an entirely new league.
The embroidery chapter of Abbode began in 2023 when Ms. Price revived an old machine from her former floral shop’s basement on Elizabeth Street in Manhattan. Her business now specializes in custom embroidery, either on clothing brought in by customers or on Abbode’s own fashionable range of boxers, tank tops, toiletry pouches, and tote bags.
Credit…Will Heath/NBC
Ms. Price’s goal with Abbode was to “modernize” embroidery, challenging the perception of traditional, often unassuming, neighborhood shops. Abbode embraces a “girly” blush pink aesthetic and is deeply connected to pop culture trends. Ms. Carpenter, celebrated for her distinctly feminine style, became Abbode’s most prominent client to date.
Credit…Nero Media
Indeed, Ms. Carpenter was a genuine customer. Her team reached out to Abbode during the week of the October 18th ‘Saturday Night Live’ episode, where she was both host and musical guest. Ms. Price recounted that they requested the iconic phrase “Live from New York” to be embroidered onto a white baby T-shirt. The singer then famously paired the shirt with matching pink bikini briefs, which featured the rest of the phrase, “it’s Saturday night,” in red, while performing “Manchild” from her latest album, “Man’s Best Friend.” (Abbode clarifies that they did not embroider the bottoms.)
“I’ve been really manifesting, like, trying to get some sort of celebrity placement,” Ms. Price shared in an interview. “And ‘S.N.L.’ is, like, the most New York thing ever. As a New York-based brand, to do that is just crazy.”
This celebrity moment was truly monumental for Abbode.
“My phone’s, like, blowing up every five seconds,” Ms. Price exclaimed. While she’s had brushes with fame through influencers and major brands before, this was her first experience with the full force of a viral response. She’s been inundated with congratulations, praise, and requests for the now-famous shirts. Ms. Price also mentioned ongoing discussions with NBC regarding a potential partnership.
Credit…Caroline Friedman
Since its pivot to embroidery, Abbode has attracted notable brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Skims, and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. These collaborations have included everything from bespoke napkins to on-site custom embroidery for special events.
A particularly meaningful collaboration for Ms. Price was with L.L. Bean, a brand deeply rooted in her childhood in Swampscott, Mass. Last year, Abbode partnered with the company for an in-store event where customers could personalize classic Boat and Tote bags. The L.L. Bean store now proudly stocks these bags, and Abbode is currently offering complimentary embroidery at L.L. Bean’s latest pop-up in New York this month.
Ms. Price has a strong theory for the success of her rapidly growing venture, which now employs 25 people and operates a separate studio in Chinatown, with revenue projected to increase six-fold since shifting to embroidery.
“I think that people are just looking for ways to express themselves and have a unique perspective and point of view,” she articulated. “There’s so much sameness — TikTok trends that cycle through and last for two weeks. It’s truly timeless when it resonates personally with you.”