Christina Pennant
“As a creative, my professional journey began in Great Britain and has continued its evolution over the past 20 years as a successful designer, manager and director across the fashion apparel industry, interiors and home furnishings. By aligning strategies with a creative vision, I’m able to build sustainable growth across crowded landscapes and retain talent. As Culp Home Fashions’ director of design and merchandising, my leadership style and creative license have evolved from an education in textiles and technical innovation and matured through experience managing multiple dimensions of design, with an understanding of its relationship to the end consumer. I don’t make things pretty just for the sake of it.”
Tara Bulla
“Creativity and a desire to simply create led me to Savannah College of Art and Design where I earned a B.F.A. in fibers. Following college, I joined Culp in their mattress division. Twenty-five years of experience at Culp have given me a broad base of skills to tap into. I have become a jack of all trades within the design department including heat transfer colorist, design artist, mock-up/concept creator, merchandising director and design director. I feel most at home designing, creating and exploring design variations that allow me to be innovative and push industry boundaries. I enjoy the gratification that comes with taking a concept I have created all the way through to a finished mattress product and seeing that product find its way into homes across the globe.”
Greta Speer
“From an early age, my artistic family instilled me with a passion for design and creativity. When a college recruiter lit cotton balls on fire to demonstrate FR technology and showed how electricity in fibers could create real-life invisibility cloaks, I became intrigued by textiles. After earning a degree in textile technology from N.C. State University, I jumped into the mattress industry, designing wovens until joining the Culp team as a knit designer. My innovative spirit, technical knowledge and problem-solving skills gained from 13 years of experience have allowed me to create a wide array of successful fabric designs. But my favorite things about this career are bringing customers’ visions to life and working with so many gifted, inspiring people.”
Hunter Morton
“I am a dynamic concept designer of merchandise at Culp, with three years of experience within the textile and home fashions sector. In my role, I thrive on creativity and relish the chance to engage with esteemed industry peers. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, vintage furniture restoration, cooking and supporting my favorite sports teams. Go Tar Heels!”
Miah Bryant
“I’m from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and I graduated from N.C. State University in fashion textile design and textile technology. For three years, I’ve been a textile designer at Culp, where I blend technical expertise with creative vision to craft textiles that inspire and delight. Outside of work, I’m passionate about exploring new avenues of creativity and knowledge. Whether I’m experimenting with design techniques, staying active through exercise or immersing myself in the soul-stirring melodies of music, I’m always seeing opportunities for growth and self-expression. In both my professional and personal pursuits, I strive for excellence, driven by a deep-seated commitment to my craft and a love for learning.”
Philip Burger
“I’m a conceptual artist who enjoys crafting bespoke designs and pushing creative boundaries. My background is in textiles, and I have a past life as an engineer, so I can bring a unique blend of perspective and curiosity to my work. I enjoy existing in the interstices of the technical and the creative. While my personal influence changes regularly, I enjoy adding dashes of surrealism to my work and constantly delight in the details.”
Tanja Tusa
“As a textile designer, I have always been fascinated by the power of textiles to transform a space. Growing up in Queens, New York, I was surrounded by diverse cultures and vibrant art, which sparked my interest in design from a young age. I studied at FIT earning a B.F.A. in home fashions textile design. After graduating, I moved to New Orleans to work for Jacqueline Vance Rugs designing custom carpets and rugs. Then I found my way to Blumenthal Printworks, where my interest in the mattress industry was born. I joined Culp 11 years ago as a senior knit stylist, and I have enjoyed collaborating with customers, the sales team and our designers, with the goal of creating the most interesting, beautiful and functional fabrics possible.”
Read more about Clup as part of our special “Beds by Design” series, Culp’s Design Team & Innovation: Inside the Fabric Powerhouse.
