SILK LAUNDRY’s collection 1, 2020 has put us in the mood for the festivities ahead – from their iconic silk slip dresses to modern relaxed blazers. HOLR had a Q&A with Katie Kolodinski and chatted about inspiration, and working in the Canadian Fashion Industry.
How do you get inspiration for your collections?
I started Silk Laundry almost by accident, it came about very organically, through my passion for beauty and quality design. I was initially inspired by a desire to create beautiful clothes that were uncontrived and well made. To me, the silk slip dress was simply the most perfect item of clothing that I could think of, and that’s where Silk Laundry began. The slip dress remains a constant item in all our collections. As we continue to expand, my approach is always to be considered and thoughtful with fashion, rather than being trend-driven. Today, I find inspiration in small, everyday things. It could be a book, my children’s art, nature, or a beautifully designed piece of furniture. Beauty is in the details and I’m always consciously looking for these.
What do you think is the biggest obstacle being a designer in the Canadian fashion industry?
We moved the brand’s headquarters from Australia to Canada just over a year ago. I’ve been very gratified by how well the brand has been received here. I’ve met amazing, talented people through my work and have generally found that the Canadian fashion industry has been very welcoming and supportive.
My struggles are about managing workload while working with different international time zones, whilst being a mother of two. I work with factories in Italy, Portugal and Shanghai and more than half of our team are still based in Australia. I’ve also had to get refamiliarized with the Canadian and North American markets, and think through the realities of running a fashion brand in two different hemispheres. I’m extremely lucky to have my husband as the brands CEO so I do have a lot of support. We are expanding very quickly and it can be overwhelming but when I stop to think about it, I love what I do so it’s never too hard.
How did you come up with the name for your brand?
I wanted to have a brand name that really described what we were doing. Silk is an obvious choice for part of the brand name, but also when we think of silk, most people think special occasion or that it is hard to care for, so I wanted another word that stood for effortless and everyday. One day I just woke up and knew with 100% surety that Silk Laundry had to be the brand name.
What kind of women do you design your clothing for?
I’d say I design for a woman who is looking to add quality items to their closet that they can wear for a long time. I love seeing how different women approach our clothing. There is no one type of woman, but rather a mind-set of shared value; she is looking for longevity and quality and appreciates wearing natural fibers and how the silhouette of the garment makes her feel. I’d say she is a ‘curator’ of her wardrobe and is inspired by the beautiful shapes and colors that we offer and finds artful ways to incorporate them into her wardrobe season after season.
What can we expect in the future from Silk Laundry?
The brand is always growing. From a design perspective, we are continuing to develop our staple pieces while also creating some exciting new styles we believe our clients will love. We are also looking to increase our distribution with growth into Europe and the USA as the main focus for 2020, this will include a few pop-up stores and perhaps another Silk Laundry boutique.
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