Detroit, this is what i want.

I had the pleasure of attending Design. Define. Detroit. this weekend. It was a great meeting of the minds with the intention of discussing the possibility of a garment district or sustainable fashion industry in Detroit. This is a topic that I could talk about for hours, but what I wanted to talk about today, is my vision for my future. Where I want my label 'kelly lynne' to go from here. What I want from Detroit. Where I see this company going forward. I had my first successful runway show, with the launch of my first collection - for Fall 2010, last March. Since then I've been working on a ton of side projects. Now it's time for what's next.

Since that show, I have had many different ideas, but this mad tornado of thousands of post-it notes disgusted as bees disguised as too much coffee disguised as mania becomes slightly productive, over time. It's no secret to those who know me well that I have a passion for the obscure. I also have a deep seeded love and history with costuming, theatre, macabre, vaudeville and burlesque. I want to take my passions and my ideas, and find others who share similar. I want to sit in a basement with paint and lipstick and tulle and glass and wood and make things, amazing things.

I once thought about going the more logical route, of concentrating on producing garments that were more ready-to-wear, but also easier to wear. Alot of people who are "fans" as they say, of my designs, all have this complaint of "I love this dress, but I can't buy it because I have no where to wear it." Well, I don't know what to say to that right now, other than, that doesn't make me happy. I will forever welcome custom orders, but I will never again consider paring down my visions to something a person might find at H&M. I would have studied to be a seamstress if that were my goal. My time at FIT was one of the greatest of my life, the most inspiring and magical. I am too afraid that itch will slip from my fingers if I don't continue to cradle it tightly. I don't have any doubts that if I go the way that feels most natural to me, the better my success will be. People all my life have been doing what I like to call "supporting me with apprehension". It's good. It's good to have people looking out for you. But I feel like after so many years of doing things with this thought of "okay, but if it doesn't work out... I'll be fine with it." I've finally realized, it works out. It just does. I have a lot of fairy godmothers, I guess. I am not afraid. You shouldn't be either. What is a life lived, if with fear?

I came back to Detroit, although I had job offers in New York, because I wanted to USE Detroit. I wanted Detroit to be a huge part and a huge influence of this company. At this time, we have the opportunity to use this city in the way that no one else in the country has the mean to. No city is like us. We have to stop trying to figure out how to do what other people are doing, and do our OWN thing. Make people 20 years from now, wish they knew how to be "like Detroit".

I am going to focus more on fashion that is art and art that is fashion, as an overall company goal. I would like to produce fashion shows that are art shows that are performances that are so much more. I don't want people to come to my shows looking for something to wear necessarily. I want people to come to these shows to see things they've never seen before. (Hello, Nurse!) And then without realizing it, adjust their wardrobe when they feel inspired.

So essentially this is a call for help. I need people. I need a gang. I need free thinkers, artists, builders, creative people. Burlesque dancers, pin-up models, make up artists, musicians, fire eaters, other designers....

March 2011. Help me make something amazing.
ktsager@gmail.com