Celebrating Design through Diversity: Christen Launches Her Own Collection

by Christen Kinard | 09.02.16

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Following the first official photo shoot for my new clothing collection, Threads by Nomad, I took a moment and recognized how different my life is now from where it was even five years ago. I get to be creative daily, my opinions are valued, and most importantly I belong to a community that has championed me every step of the way.

This community is made up of female entrepreneurs and small business owners; brave young women who have committed to the road less traveled; The Shoe Hive’s shoppers and Old Town residents who have become friends; the entire Stylebook team and you…our readers. Your comments on my posts, greetings when you run into me on the sidewalk or at the store, sweet emails, and constant encouragement have instilled in me a deep love for this city and its people as well as a confidence in my own gifts and the importance of my contribution. Thank you. Thank you for being my people.

This made me tear up. Compared to the place I was in even just five years ago, my life is so much fuller and yes it’s in part because of the work I do but more than that it’s thanks to the people I get to work with! // #Repost @ruthbarzel ・・・ Yesterday I was in a video that focuses on how my jewelry business came into being and how it has evolved. One of the things I talked about is how, as a result of my business, I’ve connected with so many people that I never would have gotten to know otherwise. Since I’m an introvert by nature, this has been one of the most unexpected and gratifying aspects of the whole adventure. Today was a perfect example. I spent part of the morning with some extremely cool women while shooting the debut @threadsbynomad collection — @christenkinard, @sarahmarcellacreative, and an awesome 11-year-old named Ava who I don’t really know yet, but based on the perfection of her outfit and the fact that she designs clothes (she made her skirt herself!!!!!!), I’m hoping that changes soon. I’m pretty positive that if I hadn’t haphazardly embarked on this path I would never have spoken to–let alone befriended–any of these ladies. Who would have thought that a pursuit as solitary and circumscribed as making jewelry would expand my world so much? #friends #friendship #connections #designers #localtalent #creatives #threadsbynomad #emergingdesigners

A photo posted by Christen (@christenkinard) on Aug 18, 2016 at 1:15pm PDT

Armed with this confidence and support, my mom and I decided nine months ago to take a risk and act on a longtime dream — collaborating in the creation of a clothing collection. Not just any clothing collection! The collection of our dreams would reflect our own appreciation for both beauty and diversity as well as contribute in positive ways to the livelihoods of those who are less fortunate than ourselves. You see, my mom and I have lived all over the world — in places as glamorous as provincial France and as desperate as the West African desert. These experiences taught us two things — that all women are beautiful and creative and worthy, and that we all have an obligation to contribute in big and small ways.

The skirt is one of my very favorite pieces of the collection. It makes a statement without overwhelming; it is flattering without being form-fitting. The tank Elizabeth is wearing is also from my collection, but more on that later. (The Skirt, $295)

The past nine months have brought us frustration and fear along with heavy doses of excitement and gratitude. Today, we are ready to show you our first collection, a capsule of seven pieces inspired by the women of Dakar, Senegal where Mom and I lived for nearly a decade. The pieces are meant to be mixed and matched, and are designed to fit all shapes, sizes, and styles. Each piece — The Tank, The Peplum Top, The Skirt, The Pants, The Jacket, The Dress, The Coat — will be available in a small selection of fabrics and prints appropriate for spring and summer. We have sourced fabric from across the globe, employed trained artisan refugees in the United States, and provided an avenue for micro-enterprise worldwide. Our mission is to create comfortable, versatile, easy-to-wear clothing that inspires women — that inspires you — to fall in love with the beauty of diversity. Our tagline? Celebrating diversity through design. That’s what we hope to do.

But we need your help to take the next step.

We used a mix of traditional African wax cottons, linens, and mud cloth in this first collection. (The Coat, $375)

We have hired refugee and unemployed artisans and paid them actually fair wages for their work. We have rented a small studio space in Houston where my mom, Nell, lives and where our production is headquartered. We have paid our talented friends to take our photos, build our website, organize our finances, and contribute in a myriad of other important ways. We have traveled to source our textiles, and purchased bolts and bolts of fabric along with a long list of necessary tools. And we have done all of this on our own. But our personal funds are drying up.

In order to produce the garments to sell, we have opted to launch a 30-day Kickstarter campaign whereby our customers can pre-order the pieces they want and enable us to go into production. You might be wondering why we didn’t approach a bank for a loan. Mom and I would prefer not to owe a bunch of money right from the start. And let’s be real, she is a minister and I am in retail; the chances a bank would see us as a solid investment are pretty low! But my hope is that you understand our vision and believe we are a worthy investment. Even more, I hope that you love our clothing and decide you need a piece or two (or three!) of your own!

This dress was modeled after a vintage piece I bought eons ago and have always wished I was able to replicate! When the complete collection launches, the dress will also be available in blue mud cloth. (The Dress, $375)

Orders placed through our Kickstarter campaign between now and September 30 will be fulfilled by February 1, 2017 when the Spring/Summer 2017 collection will launch officially. We will use the Kickstarter funds to hire our tailor full time, finish buying the fabric we need, and continue paying rent on our studio. Our website still needs some fine-tuning, we have a few small pieces of equipment to purchase, and we have some pattern issues to address. But ultimately, your Kickstarter purchases will enable us to make the pieces you buy.

I know the jacket and the pants are little “out there” but I’ve always believed that fashion should be fun. Boring clothes are for boring people! If the print is too much for you, everyone MUST own this tank. The fit is divine and flattering on all body types! (The Jacket, $295. The Pants, $225. The Tank,$155.)

I have a lot more to say. I’d like to tell you more about my mom, and why I’m so thrilled to be doing this with her. I’d like to tell you about the incredible talent our artisans have exhibited, talents that have not been appreciated or paid for since they fled their home countries of Iraq and Afghanistan. I would love to tell you more about the fabrics, and design decisions, and what it’s like to birth a collection. But this is already a long post. You can visit our Kickstarter campaign here, our website here, and read our blog posts here. You can always email me or comment below with questions.

I don’t know that I could have done this without you. Yes, you. I may not even know you. But you read Stylebook, and participating in this website’s launch several years ago and my ongoing contributions have made me a fuller, brighter version of myself. A version of myself that wakes up one morning and decides she is going to celebrate the women she knows and that this celebration will be her contribution. I like this version of myself, and I have you to thank for her.