Kelly King
The Kelly King CollectiveWhat better way to close out our month long Art and Fashion extravaganza issues than with a head nod to a new and emerging artist who is cutting her teeth—and the chicest fabrics!—for your newest wardrobe staples. Meet Kelly King: the young, sweet and spunky designer behind The Kelly King Collective. When Kelly isn’t romping around music festivals in the city or indulging in Fall’s fab weather, you can find her designing simple and streamlined pieces that put a modern spin on classic silhouettes. And taking a cue from her own closet, Kelly keeps her collection of 22 basic dresses and skirts in a very sophisticated and neutral palette. We like to think that these pieces are the wardrobe staples that every girl can wear and style themselves to fit their personality.
We chat with Kelly about the inspiration behind her Fall collection, her go-to fall beauty trend and more. Read on to see why G&F has a total crush on this budding talent.
BEAUTY MUST-HAVES>> scent: EUPHORIA BY CALVIN KLEIN // face: MAYBELLINE DREAM FRESH BB CREAM // mascara: MAYBELLINE THE COLOSSAL IN CLASSIC BLACK // moisturizer: AVEENO POSITIVELY RADIANT DAILY MOISTURIZER // lips: MAC SATIN LIPSTICK IN REBEL // nails: OPI’S LINCOLN PARK AFTER DARK // must-have: ORGANIX HAIR PRODUCTS
Your name has quite the ring to it—was it ever a question to call your collection by your namesake?
When I first started my clothing line I wanted to give it a completely random name, but then I thought maybe my name has too much flow to it to let it go to waste!
Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to your pieces—how do you keep your looks streamlined but still ahead of the curve?
I always try to keep my silhouettes classic and familiar. I don’t want people to be intimidated by shapes that they don’t think they can pull off. To keep things interesting and fresh I focus on different textures and details such as lace, fringe, and exposed zippers.
Do you have a fall favorite from your collection? Which one?
If I had to pick a favorite I think I’d go with the Valentina dress. I love it because it’s so easy to just throw on and go party the night away in. It’s cute and comfortable and it’s got a little sass to it.
Nothing wrong with a little sass! What’s your go-to beauty look for this piece?
Dark lipstick. It immediately makes you look cool and mysterious.
Be a romantic for a moment—take one of your looks and tell us the best place you picture it being worn.
I was just in Cape Cod for a wedding and I was daydreaming about how beautiful it must look in the fall. So I think the perfect place to wear the Zooey dress would be at an outdoor wedding in the fall on the Cape. All the fall colors would complement the purple perfectly and you’d spend all night dancing with your friends under twinkle lights!
The summer to fall fashion transition can sometimes be tough. How do you prep your closet?
Most of my clothes I’ll wear all year round, so when it’s time to transition I’ll pull out my sweaters, black tights, and boots and I’m pretty much good to go. I have a pretty neutral wardrobe, as you can tell by my fall collection, so I love layering my summer looks with sweaters and tights for fall.
Where can we find you on the perfect autumn day?
One of my favorite things about autumn is how beautiful the weather is so you’d most likely find me at an apple orchard eating way too many apple products and enjoying the day with my family and friends! I’m also so excited that Dose Market is back so you’ll definitely see me there on Sundays checking out all of the amazing vendors.
Shop the Fall collection at TheKellyKingCollective.com