Kelsy Parkhouse of Carleen: Fashion Wunderkind
It’s been an undeniably thrilling start to any career, but she hasn’t rested on her laurels (or become overwhelmed by the onslaught of attention). Since graduating, Parkhouse has thrown herself into a day job in the Garment District, while using nights and weekends to work on a fall collection out of her Bushwick studio. All sleek lines and bright, primary colors, it is, very intentionally, a major departure from the line that first shot her work into the stratosphere.
“I spent so much time with the inspiration and the materials, which was a real luxury, and not something that you get in the normal fashion calendar. But by the time I got started on Fall, I had spent a little too much time with it, and I was ready for a change and a bit of a clean slate,” Parkhouse says. “I love that the quilting concept brought so much attention to that first collection, but I didn’t want to be pigeonholed or get a reputation as the line that only uses vintage textiles… This is really important, too: the decisions about color were also made in an effort to showcase the textures of the fabrics, which were pretty diverse this season.”
She’s also already started work on the next collection. “Between seasons the pace is a little more relaxed, so I try to get things done during that period as much as possible… I think there was a pendulum shift between Spring ‘13 and Fall ‘13, and I envision this new collection coming to rest comfortably in the middle.” With burgeoning plans for e-commerce, possible collaborations, and an eye on solidifying the overarching creative vision of her growing line, Parkhouse is the rare person you can look at and say, “Quit your day job.”
Follow Virginia K. Smith on Twitter @vksmith.
Photos by Lauren Zaser