Everything comes full circle. At a young age, I was drawn to becoming a designer in the fashion industry. After having worked in the industry for 10 years, I came to realize the many issues that come along with designing and manufacturing in the fashion industry, both environmentally and ethically. I think back to a time when my dad was empowering USA factories and their workers, only to see them slowly diminish. Maybe this was always in the back of my head. With this knowledge, accompanied with my love of gardening, I began to realize how symbiotic the relationship is between farming and fashion. This is how Cotton & Moss was born. Cotton & Moss is a site dedicated to interviews and stories of people creating a positive impact in the apparel, accessories and farming industries, whether it be brands, mills, farmers, or factories. I'd like to shift the way a customer thinks about buying a product and engage them in the process. My goal is to create a more sustainable, lifestyle product offering where consumers have peace of mind and support in their buying decisions. Cotton & Moss will provide small and special product launches throughout the year. My design experience spans companies such as Gap, J.Press, Gilded Age, and Oshkosh B'gosh. After graduating from Pratt Institute with a BFA, I continued my education with horticulture courses at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Having spent 15 years in Brooklyn, New York, I now call Nashville, Tennessee my home. It only feels right after many summers spent in Tennessee as a child.
-Kelly
