Why and how I started KAT
I studied fashion design and technology at RMIT in Brunswick for three years. It was the most intense, but amazing course; I learnt so much during my time there.
During the course, we did a unit on lingerie and I instantly fell in love with the concept. For my final assessment, I made a bodysuit, a padded bra and a bralette and it marked really well. With that positive feedback, I started making bralettes at home and posting them on Instagram, and it all sort of grew from there. People started to buy them, and it was really hard to keep up with the demand, as I was hand making everything by myself.
I sort of gave KAT a break and moved to Byron for my first industry job in Menswear design and production. It was from there I learnt the ins and outs of production and manufacturing offshore so I applied everything I had learnt from my first industry job to my own business. This is when I started manufacturing my designs over in China and it's been crazy, but so much fun ever since.
When designing a collection, how do you feel emotionally when creating, and what goes through your mind as a creative?
I am a lover of fine, beautiful fabrics. I can get so inspired by the tiniest bit of vintage lace or a beautiful lace trim so I always start my collection looking at fabrications.
As a creative some weird things excite me. Just recently I went through a basket of laces and ribbons I inherited when my great Aunt passed away and wow was she an amazing embroider- all by hand! Tiny little-embroidered swans, delicate bluebird and the most intricate mini doilies you’ve ever seen. Finding treasures like these really spark the inspiration and my designs sort of evolve from there.