Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelli Mckinley.
Kelli, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m originally from Beaumont, Texas, which compared to Houston is very small. As a child, my mom was consistently behind the sewing machine. Every dress I wore was stitched with a tag that read “made with love by mom.” A large majority of what I owned was handmade. I loved fashion, drawing, and dressing up my barbies. Years passed, and at 18 I decided to enroll in Nursing school. I wanted a consistent career, and for me, that was the safe route. During that time I blossomed and became incredibly actively socially and loved meeting new friends and bouncing around the city. I eventually outgrew the area and although in nursing school I was still obsessed with fashion. After much hesitation, I decided to take a leap of faith and enroll at The Art Institute of Houston of which I am a recent graduate of.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a Fashion designer. Creative expression is the key to happiness for me. Ive never been one to fit a specific mold so making clothes allows me the freedom to make whatever I want to make. I also am a huge supporter of women, so I want to create pieces that make us memorable and make us exude the confidence that drives us to success. The concepts of my collections are nostalgic. I want people to be able to relate to my pieces and form that emotional bond I have with them. When someone owns a piece by Kelli McKinley Design, I want it to be one of those you cant make yourself let go of.
In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
Balancing business and art. Being in the industry of fashion, its so easy and cheap to buy clothes, therefore, finding people to invest in your work is sometimes a challenge. We are living in a time where everything is so quickly attainable so having someone understand the emotion and the work artists into making a creation can be difficult.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I just recently showed with RunwayHouston. I am continuing to do more shows locally such as Haute Houston in June. Also, you can follow @kellimckinleydesign for collection sneak peeks and all upcoming show information.
Contact Info:
- Email: kellimck112@gmail.com
- Instagram: @kellimckinleydesign
Image Credit:
Gerard Harrison, Charlie horse photos
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