Ours is a love story; a magical carpet ride started in 2007 when designer Milicent Armstrong first fell in love with shoes and bags made from vintage Kilim carpets on a trip to Istanbul.
After several years and lots of Kilim dreaming, Milicent found a small artisan workshop and launched the first Artemis collection out of her South End, Boston apartment in 2013. The combination of beautiful, worldly textiles in classic shapes was an instant hit, and Artemis Design Co. was born.
Over the years, our products have become staples in the closets of thoughtful, stylish men and women worldwide, who appreciate the delightful combination of outstanding quality, everyday comfort, and the use of beautiful textiles in charming, unconventional ways.
Always original, we believe that our beautiful vintage Kilim textiles, made largely by women artists, deserve to be repurposed and preserved for admiration and enjoyment.
We make beautiful things in a slow and careful way, using a treasured team of artisan suppliers and cobblers to ensure that our chain of production is hands-on, handmade, and brings us as much pride as the products themselves.
Our creations are everyday heirlooms, designed to be worn daily and loved for a long time. Learn more about our craftsmanship here.
Here at Artemis, we’ve been incredibly fortunate to have garnered the attention and admiration of major publications such as the WSJ, the Boston Globe, Town and Country, Garden and Gun, Esquire, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Afar, to name a few, and we have also gained a cult following among world-renowned interior designers and magazine editors for the unique, one-of-a-kind, but also classic feel of our products.
Collaborations have been a cornerstone of our business and community building efforts with like minded companies and individuals. Notable collaborations include our (ongoing) collaboration with iconic designer Charlotte Moss, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, and exclusive collections for renowned retailers such as MATCHES fashion, Anthropologie, Madewell, and United Arrows of Japan, among others.
Our Mission at Artemis
We make charming shoes for curious people, delivered with uncommon care and delight. We strive to make everyone we touch dream, and make every customer we serve feel unique.
Our Kilim Slides. They are so adorable and comfortable! I can’t walk one block without someone stopping to ask me where they are from. I also love all of our Velvet Heels. They are so comfortable and easy to wear for so many different occasions. Oh, and did I mention our Travel Bags? The chicest way to travel!
In our new house we have a teeny little library with a fireplace that we call the "snug". We always find ourselves in there reading, drinking coffee (or wine), and cozying up by the fire.
So simple- my parents always told me to be kind to absolutely everyone you meet.
The south western coast of Ireland. The Chamonix ski mountain in France. Muscongus and Penobscot Bay in Maine.
Capri and the Italian coast in the summertime. Paris, anytime. I used to live there, and I'm always dreaming about my next trip.
“The Museum of Innocence" by Orhan Pamuk. It is the most incredible love story based in Istanbul. There is an actual museum in the city that is dedicated to this love story. It is incredibly moving, and I visit every time I travel to Istanbul.
My family. Good books. Creative projects whether painting, home improvement, gardening, etc. Broken in Levi’s. Cashmere sweaters. Artemis Kilim shoes. Midcoast Maine.
I am always carrying my Baby Duffle! It holds everything I need, and is such a conversation starter when I'm out and about. I'm also loving our new Kilim Mules--a chunky, walkable heel is the only kind I wear and these are so chic with jeans, but never look too overdone.
My living room, where I can usually be found curled up with a book or a piece of needlepoint. Art on the walls, music playing in the background, my dog Ruthie slowly taking over the entire sofa...such a happy place!
Always celebrate the little victories!
Nuwara Elia, Sri Lanka--gorgeous, lush tea country. Malapascua, Philippines, for crystal clear water. Tuscany, for beautiful golden light and stumbling onto one charming town (and trattoria!) after another.
Mexico City is next on our list, and I can't wait for the amazing architecture, design, and food. I'm also itching to get to Scotland and Morocco.
So hard to choose just one! Recently I loved "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin, which made me fall in love with game design (although I've never been a gamer!). I also love to re-read old favorites--I first read "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell during a favorite college course, and revisit it almost every year.
Quiet mornings, the people I love, green spaces.
Ours is a love story; a magical carpet ride started in 2007 when designer Milicent Armstrong first fell in love with shoes and bags made from vintage Kilim carpets on a trip to Istanbul.
At Artemis Design Co., our chain of production is hands-on and handmade. Our kilim products are crafted from hand-sourced vintage textiles, and each pair of shoes takes two full days to create.
