Besties Turned Business Partners: Elena Dawson (Omega-Texas) AND Alexa Dippel (Omega-Texas)
It’s fall 2018, and University of Texas freshmen Elena "Lanie" Dawson and Alexa "Lexi" Dippel are placed in the same rush group. Over the next week, they bond while debriefing each day’s events, quickly realizing that Alpha Phi was at the top of both their lists. Fortunately, the feeling was mutual on Omega Chapter’s side. “We both ended up preffing Alpha Phi and got to run home together on Bid Day,” Lanie says. “We’ve been best friends ever since.” The friends graduated in 2022. Lanie earned a degree in communication sciences and disorders with a focus on speech-language pathology, while Lexi studied biology, earning additional certificates in pre-health professions and food and society. Like many new graduates, they weren’t quite sure what path to take after crossing the commencement stage. So, they leaned into the creative hobby that had carried them through college: needlepoint. “We were getting more and more into it — designing canvases for ourselves, stitching our own designs instead of buying others and making one-of-a-kind pieces for our friends and family,” Lexi says. “That’s when we discovered how much we loved the whole process.” With encouragement from loved ones, Lanie and Lexi decided to turn their college hobby into a full-fledged business. In February 2024, Lanie and Lexi Needlepoint Designs was born. Their mission is simple: to design custom pieces that spark creativity in everyone. “We want people to feel excited to create something new when they see our designs,” says Lanie. “And we love knowing that each hand- painted canvas is brought to life in someone else’s hands, becoming a personal and meaningful memento.” Everything you need to know about Lanie, Lexi and their once-of-a-kind designs can be found with a single scroll through their business’ Instagram feed
(@lanieandlexidesigns). Their work, much like their personal styles, is bold, bright and full of Texas charm. “Every design carries a little piece of us.” Lexi adds. “And luckily, people seem to really connect with that!” From loyal pets (like Prince, their shared golden retriever) to chapter houses, university stadiums and playful sayings, their canvases are full of flair, personality and a whole lot of heart. When it comes to designing, Lanie and Lexi thrive most when collaborating, often bouncing ideas off each other until a concept clicks. If one of them hits a creative wall, the other is ready with a fresh perspective. “It’s wonderful to have a partner in design,” says Lanie. “Sometimes you get stuck or need a new angle, and having someone right there with fresh ideas makes all the difference.” In addition to designing, Lanie also manages nearly every other aspect of the business, from customer service and packing orders to handling social media, marketing and administrative tasks. Lexi, while still heavily involved in the creative side, is currently pursuing a career in aviation, filling her days with flight studies and practice. Still, no matter how packed her schedule gets, she ends each day alongside Lanie (and Prince) unwinding with a bit of stitching and sketching. “Needlepoint is such a great creative outlet and a really mindful way to relax,” says Lexi. “We love the idea that we’re helping keep a beautiful, long- standing tradition alive while also making it more accessible for a younger audience.” As for what’s next? These two have no shortage of big plans. They’re focused on continuing to expand their offerings, especially their stadium collection, and dream of one day opening a brick-and-mortar storefront that brings their designs (and the needlepoint community) together under one roof.
Custom needlepoint pet portraits handcrafted by Lanie and Lexi.
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