MEET THE DESIGNER
aAlways Creating
the plan was never to blend in
Hey Shuga Sunshine! I’m Keyona ”KD’ Dawson. I'm a Fashion Designer & Presence Strategist who's been fascinated by the way clothing allows you to express yourself for as long as I can remember.
I grew up watching my grandmother sew. The spark didn't hit me immediately but by high school I have plenty of ideas about how I wanted to show up but one little problem. I could never find what I envisioned wearing in the stores, so naturally I started creating it myself.
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In the 11th grade I bought a hand-me-down sewing machine from my uncle and started deconstructing clothes to make my own designs. I remember seeing Mary J. Blige in a bad-ass pair of boots that I absolutely had to have. However, I couldn’t find them anywhere, and even if I could, my 11th grader pocketbook wouldn't have allowed me to afford them. So I did thee next best thing. I tore up a pair of jeans and turned the bottom of those jeans into the very boots the queen was rocking…
I took that passion to fashion design school almost 2 decades ago, and I've been creating ever since. What started with me reworking clothes in high school grew into a career designing custom pieces for people who want something that feels personal, intentional, and uniquely their own.
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I believe clothing is communication. What you wear can tell people something about who you are before you ever say a word. Whether I'm creating a wedding gown, a statement suit, a birthday look, or helping someone become more intentional about their presence, my goal is always the same- to create something that feels authentic to the person wearing it.
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If you've got an idea or even just a feeling you're trying to capture bring it to me Dumplings. We'll push a few boundaries, break a few rules, and create something worth remembering.
