Local Business Feature: Emerson and Friends

I first came across the Emerson and Friends children’s clothing line a couple of years ago at Butter Bug Boutique in South Tampa.

While the fabrics were everything I was looking for —  buttery soft and lightweight — what caught my eye were the Florida-inspired designs. My favorite? The pattern featuring our beloved manatee.

Come to find out, this line was created by a local mom and artist, Nicole Northway. And this particular print happens to hold a very special meaning to her. We’re so excited to introduce you to her and share her story that’s as sweet as her designs.

Nicole, bring us back to the beginning. What inspired you to create Emerson and Friends?

Nicole Northway: Emerson and Friends really grew out of a combination of my background as an artist and my experience becoming a mother.

Before starting the brand, I was a working artist and owned a creative retail business in Chicago called One Strange Bird. When I got pregnant and had Emerson, I identified a need for safe, well-designed apparel for babies.

I began thinking about how I could build something that combined my love of illustration and design with products that were genuinely useful to families, in fabrics that were safe for children’s sensitive skin.

Struggling with a newborn, I became very aware of the harmful fabrics and poorly designed sleepwear we were using every day. I wanted to create children’s clothing that was thoughtfully designed, easy for parents to use and safe for little ones.

I started designing hand-illustrated prints and creating products inspired by interests.

What began as a small creative idea eventually became Emerson and Friends. At its heart, the company has always been about creating beautiful, functional products that become part of a family’s memories.

Your clothing is so soft! Tell us about the fabrics and why you chose them.

Nicole Northway: The softness is one of the first things people notice, and it was very intentional. We chose bamboo-based fabric because it has this incredibly smooth, lightweight feel that is gentle on sensitive skin and comfortable for babies and children to wear all day and night.

As a mom, I also loved how breathable and stretchy it is. Kids grow quickly, move constantly and need clothing that feels comfortable without being restrictive. The stretch helps our pieces fit longer, while the fabric stays soft wash after wash.

We are very thoughtful about the materials we use and prioritize fabrics that are safe, high-quality and free from harsh chemicals.

For us, softness is not just about creating a luxurious product; it is about helping children feel comfortable and giving parents something they can feel good about putting on their little ones. 

There are so many adorable patterns! Let’s turn our focus to your work as an artist and to where you draw your inspiration.

Nicole Northway: Art has always been at the center of my life. Before starting Emerson and Friends, I studied fine art, worked as a professional artist and professor and owned a creative studio and retail business in Chicago.

When I created the brand, it felt very natural to bring that artistic background into the products and make illustration such an important part of our identity.

A lot of my inspiration comes from the natural world.

I have always been fascinated by animals, plants, flowers, insects and all the small details you notice when you slow down and really look.

Living in Florida near the Gulf has become a huge source of inspiration for me. The ocean, marine life, tropical plants, birds, sunsets and the colors of the coast are constantly finding their way into my work.

Each print begins with a theme, and then I build a little world around it through hand-drawn illustrations, color, texture and storytelling. Many of our themes are inspired by our own family adventures.

Some of our best-selling prints have come from experiences like scuba diving, raising butterflies, learning about sea turtle conservation and swimming with manatees in Florida’s natural springs.

I want every print to feel personal and to capture a small piece of our family’s interests, experiences and sense of wonder.

Tell us more about that manatee design that first drew me to your brand.

Nicole Northway: Florida is one of my biggest sources of inspiration.

There is so much wild beauty here: from the manatees and sea turtles to the springs, mangroves, tropical plants, birds and marine life. I am in constant awe.

The Florida manatee print is a perfect example.

Swimming with manatees in the natural springs is such a special experience, and I wanted to capture that gentle, magical feeling in a pattern.

Many of our prints come from places we visit as a family, animals we learn about and conservation efforts that are important in our community.

I also love creating designs that feel meaningful to local families.

There is something really special about seeing a child wearing a print that reflects the place they are growing up.

You have also recently partnered with the Tampa Bay Lightning. What was that experience like for you, and why was this collaboration so important to you as a family? 

Nicole Northway: Partnering with my favorite local team was such an exciting full-circle moment for us!

The Tampa Bay Lightning are such an important part of this community, and as a family, we have so many memories connected to game nights and being part of that local energy.

As a local business, it was incredibly special to see our designs connected to such a respected organization and to see families wearing them at games and around the community.

It was incredible seeing that on the jumbotron at games!!  To take something that began as a small creative business and see it represented alongside our national hometown team was surreal, meaningful and incredibly exciting.

 What is it like to share this experience as a family?

Nicole Northway: It is incredibly rewarding, but it is also very real. My husband, Cody, and I have built this business side by side, and we bring very different strengths to it.

I tend to lead the creative vision, product development and storytelling, while he brings a strong operational and problem-solving perspective.

We do not always approach things in the same way, but that balance has been an important part of the company’s growth. I would die without him by my side every day.

Building a business as a married couple means that work and family life can easily blend together.

There are definitely seasons when it is difficult to turn the business off, but there is also something very special about sharing the risks, the challenges, and the exciting milestones with the person who understands the journey most deeply.

I also think it is amazing for the kids to see how Cody and I work together, problem solve, overcome major challenges and push through hard times to reap the rewards of hard work.

Do the children get involved in what you do as well? If so, what’s it like to see that glimmer of entrepreneurial or artistic spirit in their eyes?

Nicole Northway: Yes, they have both grown up alongside the business and have been involved in so many different ways. They model for us, help pack orders, attend marketing and charity events, join in on live sales and have grown up in the clothes and the company.

In many ways, they have experienced the business from the inside from the very beginning. Lucy was a newborn in the baby Bjorn, packing orders with me during the pandemic.

Emerson has helped us move four times: from a spare bedroom with no employees to 16,000 square feet and 28 employees!

It is incredibly special to watch their own creativity, confidence and entrepreneurial spirit develop. More than anything, they are my constant inspiration.

They are the reason I started the company, and they are often the reason I keep going during the seasons when everything feels too difficult, and I want to give up.

Seeing them take pride in what we have built as a family makes all of the hard work feel incredibly meaningful. Emerson loves to say she is “THE Emerson” when we spot our collections in storefronts around the country. Proud mom!

You also have a line of adorable plushies and books — Lucy’s Room — named for your daughter. Tell us about expanding into toys and books, and seeing your work in print in book form.

Nicole Northway: Lucy’s Room felt like a very natural extension of Emerson and Friends. So many of our clothing prints already begin with a theme, a group of characters and a little story in my mind.

Expanding into books and plush toys gave us the opportunity to bring those worlds to life in a completely new way.

The line is named after our younger daughter, Lucy. Since Emerson had inspired the original company name, it felt very special to create a sister brand connected to Lucy as our family and the business continued to grow.

The coordinating plush toys allow children to hold and interact with the characters they meet in the stories. I love the idea that a child might wear a print, read the corresponding book at bedtime and cuddle the animal from that same little world. Lucy’s Room really brings the characters to life.

Seeing my illustrations published in book form has been incredibly meaningful. Books feel lasting in a different way. I am a huge book nerd and this was the ultimate dream project for me!

Books are read again and again, passed between siblings and often become part of a family’s bedtime traditions.

Knowing that something I created could become a child’s favorite book or beloved stuffie and be layered into those quiet moments of comfort at home is incredibly rewarding.

I am very proud that our artwork can now live beyond the clothing and become part of a child’s imagination.

Let’s talk about your brick-and-mortar store in Clearwater! 

Nicole Northway: There is also something incredibly special about seeing all of the collections together in person.

Online, you usually experience one product or one print at a time, but in the store, you can see the full world of the brand come together: the colors, the stories, the books, the plush toys and the clothing.

It is like seeing the stories I built in my imagination all come together in a wonderful display.

I remember walking in one day after our manager had beautifully displayed the entire spring collection, and I actually cried. Seeing all of the ideas, sketches and months of work brought to life in one space was overwhelming in the best way.

It reminded me how far the company has come and how meaningful it is to create a place where families can experience the brand together.

As a family, what has the Emerson and Friends journey been like for you, and where do you see yourself growing in the future?

Nicole Northway: As a family, this journey has been incredibly rewarding, challenging and deeply personal. We have grown the business alongside raising our children, so many of our family milestones and company milestones are deeply intertwined.

There have been exciting moments, difficult seasons, unexpected setbacks and many times when we have had to adapt quickly and keep moving forward.

Building the company together has taught us so much about resilience, creativity and trusting one another’s strengths.

It has not always been easy to separate work from family life, but there is something very meaningful about knowing we are building this together and creating something we can pass down to our children.

Looking toward the future, I want to continue growing Emerson and Friends thoughtfully while staying true to what made the brand special in the first place.

That means creating beautiful, safe and comfortable products, continuing to tell stories through original artwork, and finding new ways to connect children with nature, imagination and the world around them.

I would love to see our products reach even more families through opening multiple retail stores, independent boutiques, larger retail partnerships and new collections. I am also excited to continue expanding Lucy’s Room through books, plush toys and products that encourage learning and creativity.

Ultimately, growth is not only about becoming a bigger company. It is about building a lasting brand, creating meaningful jobs in our community and becoming part of more families’ everyday moments and memories.

Could you have ever imagined as a child that this is what you would be doing one day for a career?

Nicole Northway: I always knew I wanted to be an artist. Even as a child, I was happiest when I was creating, making things, drawing or getting lost in my imagination.

I have always had a very active inner world, and art became the way I expressed it.

I do not think I could have imagined the exact path my career would take or that my artwork would one day become clothing, books, toys and products worn and loved by families all over the country.

But when I look back, it does feel like everything led me here.

My parents were incredibly supportive of my creativity and encouraged me to follow that path. They gave me the confidence to take art seriously and believe it could become a real career.

That support shaped my life, and it is something I now hope to give my own children.

For kids who are budding artists, what advice do you have?

Nicole Northway: My biggest advice is to just get started. You do not have to wait until you feel ready or until everything is perfect. Make things, practice daily and give yourself permission to experiment and make mistakes.

Collect beautiful things you love and display them around you; they can become a constant source of inspiration.

Pay attention to what genuinely interests you and what makes your heart sing. That is usually where your most original and meaningful ideas will come from. Your voice develops by following your curiosity and continuing to create.

Do not give up, and do not let criticism or other people’s opinions stop you. Not everyone will understand you or your work, and that is okay. The more you create, the more you will discover who you are as an artist and person.

Art is your opportunity to share your most authentic self and your unique point of view with the world. That is our true purpose.

What do you want people to know about the team behind Emerson and Friends?

Nicole Northway: Although our family is at the center of the story, Emerson and Friends is supported by an incredible team of people who care deeply about the brand and our customers.

Every collection involves so many hands, from product development and production to marketing, wholesale, customer service, inventory and fulfillment.

I am extremely grateful for the group of people who have chosen to help us build this company. Their hard work, creativity and care are a huge part of every product that reaches a family.

We always love to ask — what are your favorite things to do as a family in Tampa Bay?

Nicole Northway: We love so many things about living in Tampa Bay. Some of our favorite family activities are going to Lightning games, taking the boat out to Shell Key and spending the day at the beach.

We love exploring new neighborhoods and trying new restaurants.

We also really love being at home. Some of our best family time is spent relaxing by the pool, playing board games, making art together, cooking together or just slowing down and enjoying one another’s company.

I think that balance is what we love most about this area. There is always an adventure nearby, but there is also something really special about the simple, everyday moments at home with our kids.

This is such a unique and fun way to share your creations. As an artist, how does this make you feel to see your work out in the wild?

Nicole Northway: I get such a kick out of seeing our designs on families “out in the wild.” It is incredibly special to see something that began as an idea or a sketch become part of a child’s everyday life.

Children are so inspiring because they are naturally present in the moment. They notice tiny details, find wonder in the ordinary, and remind us busy adults to slow down and appreciate the beauty and magic around us.

I hope our collections help encourage that curiosity while also teaching children to appreciate and protect the natural world.

My previous work as a fine artist and professor was deeply fulfilling, but it could also feel very insular and specialized. Being able to share my artwork through products that reach so many families is incredibly exciting.

I love knowing that our designs become part of birthdays, holidays, bedtime routines, family photos, and everyday memories. To be invited into those special moments is honestly one of the greatest privileges of this work.

Shop Emerson and Friends online: emersonandfriends.com

Or visit the store in Clearwater: 2541 Countryside Blvd., Suite 3 (In the Countryside Square shopping center)

*Presented By: Emerson and Friends | Originally published in the August 2026 Issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine