Serena Dugan
Serena Dugan co-founded Serena & Lily in 2003 and served as Chief Creative Officer, shaping the brand's signature California style through her background in fine art and textile design.
Serena Dugan's Bio
Serena Dugan co-founded Serena & Lily in 2003 and led the company's creative vision for more than a decade as Chief Creative Officer.
A fine artist and textile designer, Dugan studied Psychology at Wake Forest University before pursuing Fine Art in Denver and Florence, Italy. She later focused on textile design in California and ran a decorative-painting and fabric studio before meeting Lily Kanter. That design sensibility became the foundation of Serena & Lily's signature California style.
Under Dugan's creative direction, Serena & Lily expanded from nursery bedding into furniture, decor, wallpaper, and apparel. She left the business in 2017 to refocus on painting and textiles through Serena Dugan Studio.
Career Timeline
1990 — BA in Psychology, Wake Forest at Wake Forest University
Completed undergraduate degree in Psychology, laying groundwork for later design thinking.
1998 — Established decorative-painting studio at Serena Dugan Design Studio
Opened studio focused on decorative painting and commissioned textiles.
2003 — Co-founded Serena & Lily
Officially launched the brand as a nursery-bedding company with Lily Kanter.
2004 — Led creative direction at Serena & Lily
Expanded the brand from crib bedding into furniture, decor, wallpaper, and apparel.
2017 — Left Serena & Lily to return to studio art at Serena Dugan Studio
Departed to refocus on painting and textiles.
2020 — Launched Serena Dugan Studio line
Released textiles and wallpapers under her own studio brand.
Books by Serena Dugan
