Thank you!

The Runway show came and went this past Saturday, and it was truly a great night. Everything went smoothly and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

Thanks to everyone who helped set up the runway/chairs/stage/lighting, etc (Jon, Gary, Mathew, etc and of course my amazing husband Martin, who always goes way above and beyond for me) - that was a TON of work, and I think during my first show I was a little bit oblivious to it all - but this time I definitely noticed how hard everyone was working, and it meant so much to me. Also a big thanks to Alisha Nichole and Mandi Nixx and her crew for making my models look so beautiful, to all of the models themselves and Megan York at Tracque Model Mgmt for helping me put on a truly beautiful show, 944 Magazine for coming out and covering the event, and last but certainly not least, the Struggle crew for allowing me to collaborate with them and join Recession for the night! Oh - And a HUGE thank you to everyone who simply came, and watched the show. I know there are often 10 different things going on at once in our amazing city, and I really appreciate anyone who made the effort to fit me into your schedule. There's no point to any of this if I don't have people who are interested in what I'm doing. :)

Here are a few photos!


































See more on my facebook page here!

I will be at the Rustbelt Market in Ferndale on June 18th, selling select items from the new collection (wolf hats!!), as well as classics from former collections. I'm sharing a booth with Monster Free Design, so make sure you come check us out!!

Kelly Lynne 2011 Collection Runway Fashion Show

Saturday, May 21st, 2011. Doors at 8:00 p.m., runway show at 9:00 p.m.
Oslo, (in the basement).
1456 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226

FREE!

The kelly lynne 2011 collection is inspired by dreams. It takes elements from movies such as Black Swan, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Virgin Suicides and The Science of Sleep and puts them together into a dreamy, youthful, imaginative collection. I design for a specific person. She is an ageless dreamer.

As always, I tried to re-use fabrics that comes from untraditional places, and create a lot of my color from hand dying with natural materials such as fruit and tea. This year my collection will feature materials such as vintage slips, pillowcases, recycled leather, and silk drapery. It is a balanced mix of costume, evening wear, and contemporary looks. The entire collection will be presented in a full runway show on May 21, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. at Oslo, Detroit. Come see it!!!

Styleline Magazine & Art Van Spring Fashion Event

I was so lucky to be a part of this amazing fashion event on Thursday. In a nutshell, Art Van & Styleline Magazine teamed together to create a really cool event that featured 8 local designers showcasing 6 looks from their newest collections, when pared with a furniture vignette that reflected their personal style. The audience got the chance to vote on their favorite designer. I was the winner!

It was a great honor to be given this award, and the $2000 gift card to Art Van. I was very surprised. The room was filled with so much talent, and I was just happy to be asked to be a part of it. Everyone keeps saying to me, "Aren't you SO happy you won?" and honestly, I don't think I really thought about whether I would win or not win - but mostly I was so concerned with how my collection would be perceived. Let's be honest, my designs don't really fit in with the norm. I have major touches of costume/fantasy and fairytale, and maybe even a dusting of sadness in everything I do. Not everyone understands it, and while I know fashion is a cut throat judgemental business, and you HAVE to have a thick skin - that doesn't mean I want to be made fun of.

It is a huge risk to put myself out there, and just to be supported and taken seriously - that was the prize. I have always been a little different from most people I know, and finally it is not a character flaw, but something I can use artistically. Starting a fashion business from the ground up, and slowly, as I enter my 4th year of doing this professionally, it feels so great to be showing my heart to the world and having it be accepted for what it is. Much love to you all.

Alice's Adventures in Ballet

Check out the photos from Christopher Wheeldon's new full length ballet "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" which premiered this week at the Royal Ballet in London. Can you say my dreams have come true? I am a true fantatic for classical ballet, and to see my favorite story of all time transformed into a full length ballet is just a dream come true. I hope it gets picked up by other companies, or at the very least, I really hope they do it next year, so we can begin planning our long overdue trip to the UK. :)

Production Gallery: The Royal Ballet Presents Alice in Wonderland

I do most of my posting/blogging on Tumblr now, follow me there.

I will still post fashion updates here about articles, videos, events and ETC for Kelly Lynne.

Cheers.

Fall/Spring/Summer/Winter 2011

It's been a minute. I am working on the 2011 Collection. It's inspired by imagination. Show is April 16th. 9:00 p.m.

bridesmaids line

A little late, but here is the mini-bridesmaid line I did for my own wedding. I can do any of these 5 styles for you!

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

it's november?

I haven't posted in forever! That's what happens when you get married then go on a 3 week honeymoon, then get home and it's your birthday, then halloween, then you get a new job. ;)

The bridesmaids dresses and my dress...they all came out great. The hard work paid off, my vision came through. I was happy.

See some of the photos here.

I am now working for Versatile Corsets, which has been just amazing. I will be designing a Kelly Lynne corset for them in the near future as well, which is just the cherry on top of the pie. I couldn't have gotten luckier with this opportunity - to finally combine my love of corsetry, costuming, burlesque, vaudeville with daily work? It has been a dream.

I have a lot to blog about as far as where kelly lynne designs is going, and what is coming up on the horizon as far as my vision for my company and fashion in detroit, etc. But that will have to come later. It's the weekend, and I'm busy. The husband and I just got back from seeing Teasetown Correctional at Savoy, which was amazing - we saw it last year and were smitten - this year was just as good if not better, and I loved the little nod to the devistating Theatre Bizarre shut down this year. We all laughed and it felt good.

Anyhow, I'll leave you with this...here is me trying to tighten one of my new corsets, with the help of no one.



All in a day's work.

Kelly Lynne in Styleline Magazine October

I have 3 looks featured in this month's (October) issue of Styleline, make sure to check it out!!
Styleline has always placed a huge focus on shopping local, so I couldn't be more happy to be selected as a part of their local designer editorial this month.

www.stylelinemag.com

(that's my lace top on the cover, paired with Terrence Sullivan jeans!)
The feature begins on page 52 of the magazine, and features myself along with other local designers Cynthia LaMaide, Adriana Pavon, Paulina Braiz-Harb, Marc England, Marlaina Stone, Gemela Design and Femilia Couture.

Featured from me are my faux fur and wool cape with my black liquid leggings, and my purple/black lace cowl dress.

Thanks again Styleline! Love you.