How a Love for Rock ‘n’ Roll Faux Fur and Delicate Ruffles Inspired GEORGIA by Kelsey Randall
GEORGIA by Kelsey Randall's pieces are so unmistakable that you know you're looking at the line from the moment you see one of its stunning pieces.
From the brand's made-to-order silken, ruffled dresses and tops to their unapologetically bold faux fur pieces, every item radiates the bold style of designed Kelsey Randall. GEORGIA is the definition of slow fashion, with Kelsey constructing every fierce yet super wearable piece herself with minimizing waste in mind. We're not at all surprised that everyone from Lorde and Kim Petras to Lizzo and Lil Nas X are fans! As longtime admirers outselves, we were delighted to get the chance to chat with Kelsey and get her to spill her story with us in the interview below.
Name: Kelsey Randall
IG handle: @kelsey.randall
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
1. Kelsey's obsession with style began with watching lots of music videos as a kid.
"I would tape my favorite videos from TRL and VH1 and loved watching all the "making the video" segments where they would show how the music videos were made and the styling concepts. Music and fashion have always been completely intertwined for me—it's only natural that when I started designing I was drawn towards working with musicians!"
-Kelsey Randall
2. Her personal style has always been inspired by rock 'n' roll fashion.
"I especially love '60s and '70s rock stars and have thousands of images that I collect for my mood boards and inspiration. I do a lot of styling work in addition to my design work, so I stay up to date with all the collections and what's on the market. I'm always finding new brands and pieces that I love that inspire my own outfits! I am pretty obsessed with treasure hunting on The RealReal; most of the pieces I end up buying are pre-loved designer pieces. My style is super eclectic, but there are certain items I wear all the time that anchor my style and give any look my own spin on it—cowboy boots, fringe jackets, faux fur, chainmail and rhinestones give any look some rock 'n' roll flair."
-Kelsey Randall
(Image courtesy of Kelsey Randall)
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3. Kelsey developed GEORGIA to supplement her namesake line, Kelsey Randall, which consists of demi-couture, made-to-order pieces.
"The clients for my main line tend to be celebrities and musicians I design custom looks for the stage or performance. My clients that weren't musicians would order things for special events like weddings, but they kept asking me to design things they could wear every day. I designed a collection of about a dozen core pieces that could be made in a variety of fabrics so that clients still got the made-to-order experience of picking their fabric and size without the hefty price tag of a demi-couture piece. It's been a wonderful diffusion from my main line because the girls that buy GEORGIA tend to collect styles and sometimes have multiple versions of the same piece in different fabrics like a plaid flannel or iridescent organza. The pieces are all pull-on styles and super easy to wear, but have a ton of personality!"
-Kelsey Randall
(via GEORGIA by Kelsey Randall)
4. She named the brand after her home state (with a bit of help from her love of college football).
"I'm a huge University of Georgia football fan, so that probably had the biggest influence on why I named my brand that!"
-Kelsey Randall
5. When she's in a rush, she'll usually throw on one of her GEORGIA dresses with a pair of cowboy boots.
"It's an instant statement outfit with almost zero effort!"
-Kelsey Randall
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6. She believes that self-belief has been key to her success.
"'Fake it 'til you make it' has always been one of the mottos my closest friends from college and I have lived by, which to me has never been about pretending to be something I'm not, but rather believing in myself enough to keep going even when it's really challenging."
-Kelsey Randall
7. Her favorite piece of clothing in her closet is her wedding outfit.
"I designed the skirt, slip dress and corset so they could all be broken up and worn as separates so I could wear the pieces again in different ways. Plus, I totally designed the look around my 'I Do' cowboy boots, which I picked up years ago when I was single for a photoshoot I needed white boots for. They quickly became my most worn pieces of clothing!"
-Kelsey Randall
(Image courtesy of Kelsey Randall)
Also read about: How SuitShop Co-Founder Jeanne Foley Is Bringing Affordable, High-Quality Suits to the Masses
8. Her favorite style trend at the moment is the resurgence of trompe l'oeil printed clothing.
"Can't wait to wear my Jean Paul Gaultier stuff this summer! I also love that hot pink and Barbiecore are still everywhere because they're one of my favorites!"
-Kelsey Randall
(Image courtesy of Kelsey Randall)
9. Above everything else, Kelsey wants people to know she worked really hard to get to where she is today.
"It took me years to learn to sew and make clothing patterns, let alone learn how to start and run a successful company. But I've got big plans, and I'm just getting started so just watch what I do from here!"
-Kelsey Randall
(via GEORGIA by Kelsey Randall)
For more on our favorite women in the fashion industry, click HERE to read our interview with BONBONWHIMS founder Clare Ngai.