[KSLAM](https://www.instagram.com/kslamclothing/) is the party wear for the woke and wild. Started by 22 year old Casey Lamb, the brand is now on its 3rd collection and has a devoted following that includes flaunt faves Rita Ora, Kali Uchis, and Madison Beer. Using eco-friendly techniques such as upcycling, the brand celebrates fun and the playful spirit with a central ethos of “bringing people together of diverse backgrounds, races, sexualities, genders etc.” This philosophy is extended into the designs which see her take on various staples from decades past.
For her Spring/Summer 2020 offering, Lamb has given her take on Working Girl realness via 90's and early 00's era business chic. Her extraction of the tie from the professional wardrobe and deconstructing them into a tapestry for a dress is one which is, partial political as it is party. We got to know the designer her fashion icons, sustainability, and growing her business.
**How did you find your passion in fashion design?**
My passion for fashion design came for my passion of both justice and social issues, along with my need to constantly be creating. My brand has always been about telling the stories of the individuals wearing my clothes and doing so in a way where they are the ones that are able to tell them. As an individual, I am so passionate about people and I think that shows in my approach to fashion design. Creating for me is so second nature that it was almost natural for me to pursue designing.
**Who are your fashion icons?**
My fashion icons are people like Bella Hadid, Rihanna, Zendaya, Harry Styles, and Timothee Chalamet. I find that they all have such a unique approach to fashion, while also bringing in vintage pieces & styles that really set them apart. They all have no issue pushing the gender-boundaries, that we are starting to see less and less of in fashion and have all became trendsetters because of their ability to be confident in what they wear.
**What inspired “What Are You?”**
‘What Are You?’ was inspired by 90’s and early 2000’s business wear, along with some 80’s inspired colors that stand true to KSLAM. By taking pieces such as ties that are inherently masculine, I wanted to change the narrative around traditional business wear. Since ties have been at the forefront of men’s business attire and masculinity for decades, I wanted to move away from gendered fashion and create a collection that challenged heteronormative dressing. In doing so, I made ties something that could be more feminine in silhouettes like dress, sheer jumpsuits, and corsets.
**Who is KSLAM dressing? What are their hopes and dreams?**
With KSLAM my hope is to dress anyone who is willing to take risks in my clothing, and really push the boundaries with styles that feel comfortable. As a designer, there are so many clients I still want to dress and so many people that have yet to find my brand that I know would be a huge fan, such as Zendaya. My hope is just to keep creating clothing, and to do things that push me out of my comfort zone as an individual to expand. My dream is to make small quantities and have my clothing in exclusive stores as I continue to make one of a kind and made to fit clothing that is unique to the individual wearing it.
**What does your creative process look like?**
Everything starts for me with an idea or a person. I look a lot at old magazines, or vintage collections to get inspired or get ideas of what I could do for upcoming collections. I start by writing down ideas in the notes section of my phone in detail. Once I have a few looks in mind, I start creating right away. I start by making or adjusting a pattern I already have or begin to drape material until I like the look of whatever it is, I am trying to make. For me there is a lot of taking apart, putting back together, or scrapping a look all together and starting over because I don’t have a traditional education in fashion design. I find that I am super critical on what I create and tend to rework it until I think its perfect.
**What is your favorite piece you have created and why?**
I would have to say that my favorite piece to create has been the asymmetrical tie dress from my SS 20’ collection. It started as a rough idea, and not something that I thought would be possible given the nature of the material. After some playing around with how the ties fall, I came up with the idea and it came out way better than I thought it initially would. The whole ‘What Are You?’ collection continues to be something as a whole that is my favorite and something I’m proudest of to this date.
**What does it mean to you to be sustainable in the fashion industry? How does your brand practice being mindful of sustainability?**
Being sustainable has always been super significant to me as a brand. I try to source low quantities of new fabric, while focusing on materials that are second hand and/or vintage to make pieces that are one of a kind. By keeping the process local, I can support business in the surrounding areas, while also being environmentally friendly in my approach. Being a one-woman business has definitely helped and only sourcing when I readily need material.
**You started your brand at 19. So now that you are 22, what is the most important thing you have learned along the way?**
Patience. There has been so many times where I have been impatient, whether it be with my journey as a designer, or when creating something. I have had to work on patience, and it has been such a focus for me recently. It’s still something that I continue to work on but is so important to have in this business.
**What is in the works?**
Currently, I am working on getting my pieces in the hands of buyers for retail and online stores. I want to move my production elsewhere this year as well. I am hoping in the next few months to begin to expand and hire people onto my team to take some of the pressure off myself, as I am currently the one running my whole business.
**Who would your dream collaboration be?**
I would love to collaborate with Levi’s, that has been a goal of mine for a while now. I know they do brand collaborations, so that is something I would be interested in. I think I have so many ideas with denim after working with it for almost 4 years now and could bring so many ideas to a collaboration with them.
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