Name: Jesse Kamm
Age: 32
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Education: Bachelors of Science in Therapeutic Recreation (Psychology) from Illinois State University in Normal, Ill.
Job Title: Owner and designer of her namesake fashion line, Jesse Kamm. Jesse is known for hand-printing organic fabrics with water-based inks to create completely sustainable clothing.
What She Does: Jess often uses patterns found in nature such as tortoise shells and birds in flight, and she considers her collection art—each piece, whether it be her wide-legged trousers or signature tunics, is a limited edition and numbered. “I am an artist, first and foremost, and fashion is just a project I am involved in right now—there are many different outlets I desire to explore,” she says.
How She Got Her Gig: Jesse took a sewing class at a community college in L.A. and started making her own pieces and drawing on fabric by hand, which gave her the idea to start printing fabric. “People would stop me at the coffee shop and ask me, ‘Where did you get that? It’s amazing!’” she says. She began selling her designs on an individual basis when one of her clients was spotted wearing one of her pieces while shopping at Colette, the premier Paris fashion house. A sales associate asked her what designer she was wearing, and they immediately picked up Jesse’s line. The press soon followed.
In Vogue: Jesse does all of her own press and sales herself. “At the beginning I was a real novice. I got an e-mail that said, ‘Sally Singer is in town and would like to meet with you.’ I replied, ‘What store is she with?’ She’s the fashion-news and features director of Vogue!” says Jesse. “She came out to L.A., we spent the afternoon together, and they did a story on me—that was pretty fantastic!”
Learning the Hard Way: “At the beginning, I would lie on the hardwood floor and cry because I messed things up so badly—I’d put a dress together and sew the sleeves on upside down.” To learn more about the fashion business, she began asking other designers for advice and reading up on pattern making and production. “I had to mess up a lot, but I have no regrets about anything,” she says.
This Job’s for You if: You’ve got a ton of patience and know how to persevere. “Don’t be afraid to work hard and set your sights on a goal and do it,” she says. “If you create something you love, even if it never makes its way into the world, that’s enough—that’s something you should feel incredibly proud of.”
