SOME THINGS JUST seem meant to be! Small business Lovelike practically willed itself into existence in 2021, much to the bemused enthusiasm of Founder and Designer Diane Williams. Now, she sells apparel and items with her positivity-packed designs both online and at various markets around Whatcom County. With one glance at Lovelike’s website, you can feel the good vibes. Williams’ ultimate goal with her products is to be conduit for positive energy.

“I don’t want to just sell things, I want to help people feel good,” says Williams.

Photograph Courtesy of Lovelike

Her designs have an eclectic mix of influences. You’ll find protective Hamsa hands, bold abstract graphics, and playful Finnish-style patterns. She also carries outside products, like the iconic heart-shaped sunglasses that she claims always brighten people’s day.

The Hamsa hands specifically play a pretty pivotal role in the story of Lovelike’s creation. When the pandemic hit, Williams felt a little adrift and revisited painting to get back to her artistic roots. “I started doing this series of watercolor Hamsa hands, and my husband and friends were like… these would be cool on a T-shirt,” says Williams. That’s when everything fell into place.

She already had experience creating merch for Bellingham Repertory Dance, a nonprofit dance collective she co-founded in 2005 and performed with until 2017. Thanks to her previous career as a branding-focused designer, she already knew how to make a logo and a website.

“Honestly, from that point to starting a business was kind of a blur. The next thing I knew, I got my LLC,” she says. “This feels like the path I’m meant to be on right now.” Calling or no, starting a business is work! Williams did her research and put together a business plan. After deciding to use heat-pressing to create her apparel, she found an industry grade presser for sale second-hand and fixed it up. Now, Williams is able to hand-press all her shirts, sweaters, and totes at her home work space.

Photograph Courtesy of Lovelike

Williams is eager to grow her offerings. Harold Niven of Wave Fiber Arts (who has been a member of the Bellingham Farmers Market since 2006) gave her the low-down on tye-dye, which led to her dying 40–50 crewnecks by hand for a limited run last winter. She has some other product prototypes in the works that she’s excited about, but what she really wants is to help other artists break onto the scene.

“I would really love to curate pieces from other artists in my webstore. That was kind of the goal from the get-go,” says Williams. With a successful platform, she knows she could help springboard people into their own creative careers.

Through Lovelike, Williams has gotten to create a Bellingham-centric line to express her love for the city, and create a design with elements from one of her artistic heroes, the brand Real Fun, Wow! To her, the whole experience has felt rewarding and copacetic.

“It’s kind of been an epiphany to me that you can follow the thread of an idea, just let it happen,” she says. “If anyone might need to hear it, if anyone is considering putting their art in the world in any capacity, they should totally do it.” Bellingham, 360.305.8552, shoplovelike.com