Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimia Arya.
Hi Kimia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
How I started and how I got to where I am today has been a long, bumpy and beautiful ride. As a little child, I always loved to draw and paint. Growing up, I fell in love with the genius of Picasso. I loved his versatility and how his art was reflective to the different periods in his life. From Cubism to Surrealism to his Blue period, Picasso’s art varied more than any other artist of his time, but you always knew it was a Picasso. I began recognizing the same patterns in fashion, namely through the works of Chanel and Roberto Cavalli. I loved the distinct timelessness of the Chanel garments and the unique signed textile prints from Cavalli. It wouldn’t be until decades later that I would realize the influence of all of these artists’ works in my present-day creations. I studied art in school and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from the Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts at York University, in my hometown of Toronto, Canada. Although my passion was for the arts, I pursued a career in finance in order to pay for my schooling and would grow professionally within that field. I always had big dreams and knew that one day I would be an artist and create my own art and fashion, but I was unaware of the road ahead. I decided to make the move to Los Angeles from Toronto, Canada, and after nine years in investment banking, I quit my job to pursue my passion, and the rest is history.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The road to pursue my dreams as an entrepreneur and as a creative has definitely been volatile but well worth the risk. From my initial move to Los Angeles, as it was my first time living on my own, not knowing anyone and no job, and in the heart of the 2008 recession; to having to start my life from scratch three times; to bootstrapping my own business in an extremely competitive industry in which I had no professional experience with or connections; to rejection after rejection and countless uncertainties; the struggles seamed endless, but I kept moving forward. I turned every setback into an opportunity and was motivated to work even harder to accomplish my goals. I stayed true to my purpose of ethical couture and to my unique style and prints, and people began loving it, even the people that rejected it in the beginning. I was invited to debut my first two full women’s and men’s collections at both New York Fashion Week and Paris Couture Week, with rave reviews; I successfully lead my team and my company during a worldwide pandemic while also managing with my own mental health; and, now, I am building the first Ethical Couture Fashion House in America. It has not been an easy road but the growth has been beautiful, and nothing worth fighting for ever comes easy. This is also why I am a huge advocate of spreading love and kindness. You never know the struggles of your neighbor, or your own journey ahead, so always lead with a heart full of love and gratitude; it will come back to you tenfold.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the founder and creative director of the Kimia Arya brand. We are an Ethical Couture Fashion House based in West Hollywood, California, with divisions in Interior Design and Fine Arts. We specialize in silk because it is a natural fiber and is biodegradable, and we are known for our painted Kimia Arya silk textiles, famously coined the Painted Silk. The Painted Silk is a series of printed textiles designed by myself and are inspired by my own original paintings. Our mission at Kimia Arya is to create High Fashion at Zero Cost to our Planet, and our goal is to reduce our carbon footprint through the ethical practices maintained at our Atelier- known as Maison Kimia, and with the help of our business partners at the non-profit One Tree Planted. I am extremely proud of our mission and our purpose and to be able to give back to causes that are dear to my heart, namely to efforts that promote Mental Health Awareness and Climate Change. I am most proud of my team and myself for successfully and selflessly navigating one of the hardest years in business and coming out on top. High quality, small quantity, locally produced, global impact, giving back, these are the five pillars that shapes our Fashion House and puts our brand, Kimia Arya, at the forefront of responsible High Fashion.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me, both professionally and in my personal life, is to do what I love while being surrounded by the people that I love. I am fortunate to have a beautiful family and amazing friends that have become extended members of my family, and although the circumstances over the last two years have made it difficult for us to be together, their love and support has helped me persevere. I am forever grateful and thankful to have them in my life, and everything I do is for the betterment of my family. This is why I believe that it is extremely important to give back when you can and to always pay it forward because families come in different shapes and sizes, and one act of kindness has the power to change a person’s life for the better.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.kimiaarya.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimiaaryasilk
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimiaaryasilk
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimiaArya
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQSpdjk2QIF9541-yKLUIJw
- Other: Clubhouse @KimiaArya
Image Credits
Lester Villarama, Nikko Panti, Bretman Rock, JP Saxe, Julia Michaels, Vogue Magazine, Bello Style, Vulkan Magazine, Charlie Matthews, Armani Jackson, Vanity Teen Magazine. Antje Utgaard, QP Magazine, Ritesh Rajan, Saleena Khamamkar, Comedy Central, Venk Modur, Eric Guilmette, Airon Mallars, Jessica Minter, Piolo Pascual, Nylon Manila Magazine, Nylon Magazine
