Delia Montgomery
Willian, a ready-to-wear women’s fashion business headquartered in New Jersey, utilizes a variety of natural and organic fabrics, often combined with vintage materials reworked into contemporary silhouettes.
Designer Keia Bounds-Thompson, also proprietor, sought a a sustainable fabric consultant. With her sweatshop-free and eco-friendly vision, Keia and partner James Thompson embraced 100% certified organic with natural and recycled materials.
Results are a light-weight fleece, cotton jersey, Tencel®, twill, and indigo. The indigo is dyed naturally, as well as their recycled silk. The Fall 2010 collection primarily utilizes recycled wool and silk for the coat and poncho. Photo credits to Paul O. Colliton, who captured models beautifully at New York Fashion Week Green Shows early this year.
Sustainable screen printing is an in-house touch one can find in obscure places on some of the collection items. Most all the production takes place in their Hoboken, New Jersey studio where they do their best to reduce waste and have a low impact on the environment.
Upon graduation from Philadelphia University, Keia was bound for NYC. With three internships under her belt from Urban Outfitters, Cynthia Rowley and Gary Williams, she began her journey. Her career started with Tracey Feith, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren. She also worked in film/TV and editorial as a key costumer and celebrity stylist.
It was the RL gig where Keia noticed how much waste big companies were creating. That awareness influenced her to create Keia K, one-of-a-kind reconstructed garments using vintage scarves and fabrics. She sold them in Brooklyn and Manhattan boutiques.
What a lovely combination of talents!
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