In Conversation with Designer Catherine Addai

Cover Photo from Kaela Kay

Catherine Addai, owner and founder of clothing brand Kaela Kay, has always been passionate about clothes and style coordination. Her love for fashion began when, curious as to why she was unable to find clothes that had classy silhouettes and matched her bold, bright, and fun fashion taste, Catherine started designing her own clothes. In addition to being motivated to bring her dream pieces to life, she wanted to pay homage to her Ghanian heritage by incorporating Ankara, a type of colourful fabric and prints that originate from West and Central Africa, in her designs. 

For Catherine, establishing Kaela Kay is to blend two different parts of her world. 

As a proudly made in Canada brand, Kaela Kay firmly believes life is too short to wear boring clothes-colour and vibrance should be important aspects of your wardrobe. The brand promises modern, eclectic, and classy women’s fashion.  

As a founder and self-taught fashion designer, Catherine wants Kaela Kay to be a fashion brand that allows women to explore their fashion taste through distinct colours and styles. The brand’s colourful fabrics and bold prints are heavily influenced by her Ghanaian heritage. 

Read on for our conversation with Catherine, where we ask the entrepreneur how she got started, her inspirations and favourite styles, and advice she’d give to others. (The following conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity).

Passion begins with curiosity

Q: How did you end up pursuing your passion as an aspiring designer?

At the end of 2017, I resigned from my corporate career to focus on my company full-time. What my brand has evolved into is what I  dreamed of- a brand with distinct brand identity, culture, and customer loyalty.

Q: In what way do you ensure your culture and roots are being reflected by your brand?

I emphasize the beauty of my culture with a focus on my Ghanaian roots,  through the prints and colours of  Ankara textiles, which come from Africa. I also keep my North American upbringing in the brand using  western designs that  are feminine, classic, and classy.

Kaela Kay stocks up to size US22 and offers custom sizing and designs to match everyone’s body sizes according to their liking. I want all women to have the ability to explore their personal style in their fabulous size. 

 Highly curated and made with love

Catherine values every piece she produces, which is why she works closely with local seamstresses from Canada in creating well-made and well-fitting styles. Her team is self-regulated, creative, hard working, and dedicated to the brand and to their craft. By working with the brand, these women are able to cultivate the artistic and work-life balanced lives that they desire. Catherine’s dedication  paved the way to the birth of her brand.

Q: What was your biggest motivator to just start?

To step away from my corporate job? My biggest motivation to go full-time was the fact that the business was doing well.I felt like I needed to gain more control over my time-I was moving in too many directions, spread thin, and my physical and mental capacity were at stake. I needed to focus on growing my business by taking it to the next level-quitting my job was the only option that made sense. I never looked back.

Q: What was your style inspiration for your vision for Kaela Kay (i.e. movies, designers, actors, etc.)?

I'm inspired by the women I have known–from listening to their fashion-body-sizing stories, what they are looking to wear, and where they are going (church, parties, work, etc.). I made sure that I’m designing creative and fun pieces that are wearable for those settings.The premise is to offer pieces that you really can't find anywhere else. Pieces that make a statement and are conversation starters. 

Fun facts about Kaela Kay

Q: Where did your inspiration for the brand name come from?

Kaela Kay is named after my eleven year old daughter Mikaela . The Kaela  is taken from her name and Kay is a nickname that my family calls me. It’s an ode to mommy-and-me. Kaela was my only child at the time, so it made sense; the sound of my sewing machine would put her to sleep at night when I was up sewing late. Kaela was my reason for following my dreams. I've since had two more children and they always argue over the name!

Q: What are some of your favourite styles out of this season?

Front-tie tops and dresses are a favourite of mine (like my Ebony Front Tie Dress). It's classy and a little bit sexy. Literally anything with big structured shoulders–I'm in! I love the drama of structured shoulders and I feel like it forces me to stand tall and bold even if I'm really not.

 Pieces of advice from a self-taught designer

Whether you have a formal education or not, starting a fashion business is not always easy. Catherine firmly believes that it’s important to start from grass roots- getting to know your customer base and who you’re designing for.Having the answers to these questions will help you build an initial following. It’s also important to start with  what you can manage, so that your designs and products are well-curated and high  quality. Another tip she added to connect with other makers or professionals with whose knowledge and/or services you can learn from and leverage. Having the skills and talent doesn’t necessarily mean you know it all or that you can do it all. Ask a lot of questions and be open to listening to the answers. Most importantly, if you can, connect with a mentor who can guide you through some of the turbulence of running a business. 

Like other aspiring designers, Catherine had to experience trial and errors before getting to where she is now. When asked what advice she would give to her younger self, she said that she’d tell her to not make hasty decisions based on pressure or fear: trust your gut and sleep on it. After all that she’s been through, she thinks that everything seems clearer in the morning and that she’ll eventually make the best decision for herself. Catherine firmly believes that trusting yourself is very important. 

If given the chance to go back and do it all over again, the designer would keep her decisions despite the struggles and failures, even if they weren’t the best choices at the time. To her, her journey as a designer and entrepreneur unfolded exactly when it should have- had it happened any sooner Catherine remarked she wouldn’t have been ready for the process, sacrifices, or successes. She also would choose to not have gone to fashion school because her ability to learn on her own was what made her journey unique. Her path helped to shape her design lense over the past years. She learned a lot, and she will keep learning and growing on her journey, in which she’s very much open to. 

To learn more about Catherine and her brand, Kaela Kay, visit  the brand’s website and instagram, as well as her personal account @thecatherineaddai.