Cindy Walsh

Red Rover Clothing Company

Hats, Raincoats, Gloves

Cindy has been sewing since she was a young girl. Her mother, an artist and seamstress, always had a closet of fabrics and a project in the works. Together, they made many trips to the local mill “outlet stores” (when they were actually attached to working mills) and dug through tables of remnants to find just the perfect piece of fabric for the current project or one to be thought of later.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in textile design, Cindy spent most of her time there turning woven or printed fabrics into clothing, some of it wearable and some “weird.” All of the fabrics back then were made of natural fibers, silks, wool or cotton. Cindy says, “It is amusing to me now that my line is mostly made of synthetic Polartec® and rainwear fabric.”

Her early years were spent working in small studios for other designers and in retail shops both large and small. Cindy started Red Rover Clothing in 1993 when her children were just starting school. She packed up her old car and with a friend and headed to a crafts fair in the Berkshires. She got a great response to the clothing and she on her way.

Cindy’s designs are influenced in part from watching what people wear and what makes them feel comfortable and special. Her customers often relate stories of the many compliments they get wearing her work. She uses color, texture and detail to make the clothing unusual, but not over the top. The ribbon trims that embellish the work are her own design. All of the clothing is designed and sewn in Massachusetts with the help of Cindy’s assistants. “I feel fortunate to be able to do what I love, “ says Cindy.