Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiana Bonollo.
Hi Kiana, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’ve been interested in fashion for as long as I can remember. As a child I remember being buried in my sketchbook, designing what I could of extravagant gowns on poorly drawn fashion figures, and using scrap fabric to sew myself new outfits.
My first experience in the fashion industry was actually not with design, but with modeling. During high school, I modeled for multiple fashion shows fell in love with the experience, and vowed to one day return to these shows as a designer. I went on to show my own collections at many of the North Carolina fashion shows that I had once modeled for.
I worked as a professional tailor for a couple of years to gain more knowledge on garment construction and fit and in 2021 I graduated from NC State with a B.S. in Fashion and Textile Design and a minor in Entrepreneurship.
I now work full-time as a fashion design content creator on YouTube, Tik Tok, and Instagram and have an audience of over 400,000 followers. I also sell digital sewing patterns for many of my designs on Etsy (KianaBonolloDesigns) so my followers can create my designs as well.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
To be honest, I’m extremely lucky to have a solid career straight out of college. I started content creation about a year before I graduated and I started my patternmaking business about four months after that. People liked my content and products so much that I had a career before I knew what hit me. By the time I graduated college, I knew I wanted to just continue doing what I had already started.
I’m very lucky to have chosen a college major and career path I am so passionate about. It makes working every day extremely enjoyable. I almost applied to colleges as a chemical engineering major, but my parents advised me to major in what would make me the happiest. I switched to fashion right before college applications were due and have never looked back.
I am grateful to my parents for being so supportive and for preventing me from making one of the biggest mistakes of my life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I like to think of myself as a fashion designer who specializes in content creation and patternmaking. Half of my time is spent creating content for Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, while the other half is spent designing and developing sewing patterns.
My design aesthetic is edgy, but feminine and tailored and I like to create clothing that represents this style. I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m an extremely good educator, but I’m also able to think with a fashion-forward mindset. I provide value to my community by educating them on how to sew, design, and pattern, while still staying on top of trends.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I don’t normally think of myself as a risk-taker, but I believe I take more risks than the average person.
For example, it was extremely scary to put me out there on the internet for millions of people to scrutinize, not knowing if people were going to love me or hate me. The internet can be such a scary place, but luckily I’ve built a kind and compassionate community across platforms. I also took the risk after graduating from college to not pursue a traditional career path. Becoming an entrepreneur can be frightening- there’s no certainty or safety in anything you do.
I guess some people would say stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things are risks as well, but for me- I love to try new things. That’s the fun of being my own boss- I can try new strategies, design new garments, and film different content than I normally do. At the end of the day, what’s important is that I tried- if something fails, I learned from it, but if it succeeds, then great!
Pricing:
- All pricing is viewable on my Etsy Shop, patterns are $6, $9, or $12
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KianaBonolloDesigns
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kianabonollo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/kianabonollo
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kianabonollo
