Get Like Me: Designer and Project Runway Alum Kimberly Goldson

Kimberly rack text

Designer Kimberly Goldson balances structure and business savvy to create a clothing line that is delicately disciplined. From her signature KG pant to boldly patterned dresses she sees design through the lens of the millennial woman. We spoke with her about the need for inspiration, personal goals, and how we as a community can create the change we want to see in the clothing industry.

Name: Kimberly Goldson

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Personal Style in three words: Varied, Cosmopolitan, Luxury

Favorite Designer(s): Oscar De la Renta was one of my favorites, Cushnie Et Ochs, and Christian Dior. I like structured designers.

Must Have Accessories:  Right now I’m obsessed with rings. I like stacking a lot of rings. Hats transform can outfit.

You have a degree in Fashion Merchandising Management, how does having a background behind the scenes inform your business decisions as a designer?  

I’m so thankful for having a merchandising background. Starting in merchandising behind the scenes allowed me to look at the business of fashion differently than coming from a perspective of just making pretty clothes. I look at it from what women want to wear, what’s going to sell, what fits their body types so that gives me a different perspective and an advantage.

What about the millennium woman inspires you?

The millennium woman inspires me because she’s fearless. I think the millennials are definitely more risk takers. Sometimes in retail we get caught up in just buying and selling what we think most people would wear and we don’t give the risk takers enough credit. That’s what I love about designing for millennials. They like the bold colors they like the bold patterns.

What would you like to see the Kimberly Goldson brand accomplish?

I really want to inspire and transform lives. I want people to look at what I’ve been able to accomplish with the brand and see that they can do it as well- in terms of whatever their dream is. This is no small feat. I am just a humble girl from Brooklyn and I mean that in the sincerest way. You hear the phrase “if i can do it, you can do it”, I AM that phrase. That’s what I want people to see from the brand.

What do you think we can do as a community to help black designers?

We can support them. We don’t have enough African-American designers in mainstream fashion. There’s not enough. We can make great clothes as well. If we get behind our African-American designers and companies, us as a community, then we can start a new trend, we can start a new movement in the fashion industry, in the retailers, in what we see in the stores.

Learn more about Kimberly Goldson’s career below.

A look from Kimberly Goldson's latest Autumn/ Winter Collection
A look from Kimberly Goldson’s latest Autumn/ Winter Collection

What’s your favorite part of your job?

When I debut a collection and it exceeds my expectations. I love when my design comes to life.

What’s the hardest part of your job?

Starting a women’s wear company takes a lot of capital. It takes a lot of capital, the operations and staying afloat from one season to another that’s the hardest part of being in business.

How important are ethics in the fashion industry to you as a designer?

I try to be very ethical in sourcing. Eighty percent of our materials are all natural. We use all sorts of models from various ethnicities and we only use models of legal age.

In the reality show age would you advise an aspiring designer to participate in a show like Project Runway?

I’m not anti-Project Runway. If you’ve apprenticed and you really have an inroad to the industry I think that you don’t necessarily need to do a Project Runway. It depends on where you are in your career and what you want out of your career. Not everyone who goes on Project Runway wants to be a designer and have their own collection, some people just want to be on television and that’s fine. I think there’s good that can come out of doing a show like Project Runway. I’m very thankful for the show and my involvement with it.

What three pieces of advice would you give to aspiring designers?

1. Know this industry not just from a design standpoint, not just from creating pretty clothes but really know what this industry is about- the mechanics that go into starting a label. Because it’s not just about making the clothes it’s about everything else that goes into it before you even get to designing the clothes

2. Ensure working capital; have funding in place before you begin. It takes a lot of capital to make a women’s wear brand run.

3. Make sure that you have a very unique point of view you have to be answering the question why? Why does someone need to wear your clothes? What makes you different?

What’s in your handbag right now?

I just got my new Céline bag. Like I said my style is varied. I like to mix high and low but I like to keep my accessories high. I have my wallet, my keys, lip crayon, Aveeno daily moisturizing hand lotion, my engraved business card holder I got as a gift and cards, cherry flavored Carmex, a Kimberly Goldson purse holder we gave out at an event, loose change, my spring lookbook and my Citibank token. I need it to log into my business account.

Learn more about Kimberly Goldson here and be sure to be on the look out for her collections fall offerings!

Who are some of your favorite designers of color?

Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #BrownGirlsLove. 

-Keyaira N. Boone

Photo Credit: Black Stream Media