Kia Tomlin
Like a child, Kia Tomlin he said he wanted to be a doctor. Impressive responses and encouragement from adults make being a “doctor” a common aspiration for many children. Additionally, her mother’s example of financial independence influenced her desire for stability and a clear career path. However, alongside this practical goal, Kiya harbored a passion for sewing, design and fashion. As a child he also played with drawings and clothes. She even took her sewing machine with her to college. “Throughout this journey, I was always sewing and designing. I enjoyed doing it. It was kind of taking care of myself.”
Taking the road less traveled while on the road
When it came time to take the MCAT, a medical school placement exam, Tomlin didn’t go to the testing center. After some searching, he decided to follow the trend. Her first foray was a short-lived apprenticeship with a tailor. While on the road with her soccer coach husband, she took fashion classes, honing her skills and discovering her own path. Eventually, her determination led her to start her own custom design business, initially focusing on wedding dresses. He grew this business to work with all kinds of clients. In 2014, she founded the fashion brand Kiya Tomlin, offering practical, versatile and stylish clothing. Her turn was and always has been with size. This is important to Tomlin, who wants her designs to celebrate all women.
Building a sustainable, American brand
Another of Tomlin’s personal and business values is a commitment to sustainability. While he is NFL licensed and makes a number of fashionable “game day” pieces, this is not fast fashion. Kiya recognized the urgent need to address issues such as fabric waste and overproduction in the fashion industry. To make a positive impact, she is working to create a vertical factory, which allows her to produce new collections on a small scale. This approach not only ensures greater control over the production process but also minimizes waste, creating a more sustainable model.
Her line is proudly American-made, emphasizing quality craftsmanship and supporting local communities. From fabric to production, sustainability, opportunity and community engagement are woven into the brand.
Commitment to service as a business practice
This focus on people and community emerged early in the company’s history. In 2015, just a year after Kiya Tomlin created her first full-length series, Hurricane Harvey hit, devastating the Houston area. The line hadn’t started as well as he would have liked and excess stock was sitting and available for a new purpose. “It was sitting in my workplace for quite some time. The season ended and I had all these things. And then watching the hurricane and what had happened and what was going on down there and I thought, do they need things?’ Tomlin tells the story for approaching the wife of the Houston Texans coach. She then gathered other wives and connected with a school in one of the hardest hit areas of Houston. They made sure storm survivors had a chance to feel the sense of normalcy and dignity that comes with feeling good in your clothes.
It wasn’t Tomlin’s first time responding to communities in need. During the pandemic, she and her team sewn masks to help those in need. She has also recycled fabric scraps into dolls, neck rolls and other items for comfort nurses and children with special needs.
As a successful entrepreneur, Kiya emphasizes education and transparency. By educating customers about sustainability and sharing her business practices, she hopes to inspire informed choices. In a world where fast fashion dominates the industry, Kiya Tomlin stands out as a beacon of sustainability, creativity and integrity, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the world of fashion and beyond.
