Daily Inspiration: Meet Kathryn Lawson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Lawson

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My mom taught me to sew and embroider as a child. I also learned mask making and puppetry from her which prepared me for my career in costume and fashion design. After earning degrees in fashion, art and theatre arts, I worked in costume design and later taught fashion design at a university.
At 31, being a divorced mom with 4 daughters to raise, I needed more flexibility and started my vintage fashion business. I met a vintage dealer in the San Francisco area who had been in business for years and mentored me. I began doing vintage fashion markets nationally and soon opened a small local shop. I continued doing costume design until I retired from theatre in 2019. Wanting to follow my sustainable fashion beliefs, I created Lady Kate’s ReFashion, and began selling upcycled and handmade items along with vintage fashions.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest challenge in the beginning was balancing family time with building my business. While I had a retail store front, I took my kids with me. At the time they were not always thrilled to go to work with me, but now appreciate the business education they got from it. Location has also been a challenge as my business went through different phases and grew. Due to a recent flood, I no longer have a store front, I am now in a warehouse building that used to be a pie factory. I love that I have more workspace than ever before.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am proud that I have built a sustainable business with my wearable art clothing. Every item is made from rescued or vintage materials and is unique. I upcycle discarded clothing into new garments in addition to creating my own designs in clothing and accessories with my specialty being hats. I use patchwork, embroidery and hand painting to give each piece its own identity. I will be launching a fresh line of clothing in the spring under my new “Pie Factory” label.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Sustainable fashion aka slow fashion needs to be the new way of life. The US discards over 34 billion pounds of textile waste each year. Approximately 100 pounds per person. Millions of pounds of carbon dioxide and methane are released from decomposing textiles in landfills which contributes to atmospheric warming. 20% of global wastewater pollution comes from the fast fashion industry. By upcycling clothing and textiles, we can slow the pollution damage to the earth.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ladykates
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/ladykatesfashionrefinery
• Other: https://Ebay.com/str/ladykatesfashionrefinery