Kelley McNabb, Lead designer at Rose & Thorne.
Kelley McNabb’s innate creativity lead her to a design career and after a long stint with Bendon she is now a shareholder and lead designer at popular local lingerie brand Rose & Thorne. She loves designing garments that make women feel great about themselves and finds inspiration wherever she goes.
We caught up with Kelley to find out more about her latest collection for Rose & Thorne, what inspires her and what you would never catch her wearing!
Tell us about your latest collections in store?
This season’s collection is based around a rich colour palette peppered with jewel like colours. Our upcoming release is all about condensed colour. Yellow delivers a juicy hit of invigoration, while navy appears as a classic neutral. Bright water colour spots come to life against bright white.
As always, our collection features Rose and Thorne’s five iconic bra shapes and our Forgiving Fit Technology, and are available from 10-24, A-G cups.
What made you get into fashion and how did you end up at Rose & Thorne?
I have always loved to create and make things. For as long as I can remember I have drawn, made clothes, painted and dyed textiles etc, so working in fashion was just a very natural progression. Not long after I finished design school I started working for Bendon as a Design Assistant I then worked my way up to Junior Designer, Designer, Senior Designer then Lead Designer, heading up Elle MacPherson Intimates and Stella McCartney Lingerie.
When Bendon’s design head office moved overseas, I became a founding shareholder of Rose & Thorne, and lead design, based in Auckland. They share my belief in making every woman feel great.
Rose & Thorne En Forme in Multi Spot (left) and Curvylicious in Navy Snake (right).
What inspires you?
So many things… life and colour really, it could be a sign on the side of a bus. The colour of a women dress in a supermarket queue. A leaf blowing in the wind.
Describe your personal style and how it influences your products and brand?
That’s a hard question. I think my personal style is about what makes me happy and that sometimes makes it a little all over the place. One day it could be a floaty floor length skirt, the next it could be a tailored shirt and jeans. I am about making “me” feel comfortable and confident. That’s the influence I try to use when creating our Rose and Thorne garments. I endeavor to make people smile when they see and wear them.
What is your all-time favourite purchase?
I once bought a vintage corset at a Flea Market in in Paris. It now hangs on my wall as a true piece of art.
What wardrobe item should every woman invest in?
A great bra! A bra is the foundation to how all your clothes fit on your body and should make you feel comfortable, without sacrificing style.
Rose & Thorne En Forme in Raspberry.
Do you have a style rule you always obey?
I have never been big on rules. Rules are made to be pushed and experimented with. If that fails then wear black.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Listening to the women who wear and love the garments I design. There is immense satisfaction in knowing I have truly created something that makes women feel great, and makes them smile!
What can’t you live without?
A pencil – everything I have ever designed started life as a doodle on a scrap of paper.
Finish this sentence – You would never catch me wearing…
An ill fitting bra. Or no mascara.
Images supplied.