An Interview With Monica Sanders
Care for our employees by setting them up for long-term success with healthy raises and promotions, healthcare benefits, and retirement planning.
As ‘slow fashion’ grows in popularity, more fashion companies are jumping on the bandwagon. Renewable consumption has been gaining popularity for a while, as people recognize its importance, and many fashion companies want to be a part of this change. In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders in the fashion industry to discuss why they are embracing slow fashion and renewable consumption. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Lihui Ke.
Lihui Ke, co-founder and creative director of the knitwear line Kerisma, identifies as a Third Culture Kid. Born in a small village called Chi Ze, near the port town of Wenzhou, China, she grew up in the suburbs of Paris and Brooklyn, before finally landing in Los Angeles. Now she brings that eclectic, global sensibility to her 1930s-era home, nestled far back on an extra long parcel in Echo Park. It’s her grown-up answer to a nomadic childhood. “I felt connected to this land instantly,” she says. “I knew I could create, live mindfully, and start a family here someday.”
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
It all goes back to my early years with Grandma in our hometown village in the suburbs of Wenzhou, China. From the age of 2 to 7, my parents moved to Paris for work opportunities in the fashion capital of Europe. My dad and his 5 sisters eventually all moved there from the mid-80s to the mid-90s. My grandma took care of me while they worked abroad as seamstresses and steamers in the garment industry. The time I spent with my grandma in the countryside instilled a deep connection to the land and a strong sense of community with the people who cared for it. I went with her everywhere, shadowing her footsteps from the rice fields to the river where we washed our clothes, to the office where she cooked rice, and to the Buddhist temple where she prayed for our family’s health and prosperity.
We moved quite a bit once my brother and I joined our parents in Paris. After 5 years, it was NYC for the next 16 years, living in various neighborhoods in Brooklyn and eventually moving to Flushing, Queens. Learning French and then English as a third language taught me to embrace change and diversity wherever I lived.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
In college, I studied Architecture because I loved math and enjoyed drawing anime characters. The combination of the two led me towards a future in design as a problem-solving tool. While my parents focused on the production side of fashion, I developed a love and appreciation for clothing design through my architectural lens. The tactile nature of designing a home, considering spacing for various human functions, bore many similarities to designing clothing for the human body. Though there was a change in scale and speed, I found the right kind of intimacy and tactility that I felt was missing in architecture. So, after 5 years of practicing in the field and working for various architecture design firms, I pivoted to fashion. The opportunity arose when my father and his sister invited me to start a clothing line during our family Thanksgiving back in 2009. My aunt was visiting from Rome, where her family lived, and she owned a fashion wholesale business. She, too, was craving something more creative and legacy-driven. KERISMA was conceived then and opened its first showroom in April of 2010. We are now well into our 14th year. Wowza!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Wow, a LOT has happened in 14 years, but the most interesting and lasting story is how we came together as a nucleus family (with my parents and my brother Junjie) and expanded into a larger extended family with a small team of dedicated employees. On a day-to-day basis, the heartwarming camaraderie of working towards a great purpose and supporting each other’s roles is most sustaining. Many have come and gone, but KERISMA has longevity and has helped forge lasting connections among employees. Their friendships extend far beyond their time here, which I find to be a magical kinship of sorts.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
First off, success is a fleeting feeling… it comes and goes and is continually being redefined and attuned over time. Being in a leadership position is highly rewarding at a creative level, but it can also be incredibly debilitating at times. The weight of responsibility hangs heavy and constant.
My three P’s are Persistence, Patience, and Play. Persistence and patience go hand in hand when designing a new collection. On a day-to-day basis, it can feel like we are not making much progress at all, yet over the span of a few weeks and months, a lot can materialize and come into fruition. Pieces start to connect and become a group of mini-collections that speak to each other and form a larger thesis of sorts. We get into a state of design flow that is beautifully nuanced, at times hyper-focused, at times delightfully carefree, and then pump out a lot of interesting, sometimes not so great, along with a few amazing pieces!! It’s all part of the process.
Play is the part where I dip into little Lihui and release all the pressures of running a business and designing products to sell. I bring in key elements from my dreams, daydreams, and grander aspirations. It’s so important to integrate the playfulness component as it shakes up all the seriousness of adulting and work professionalism. That, to me, is also the secret to staying youthful and embracing our unique beauty and confidence at every age!
I just got back from our MAGIC Las Vegas market last week, which has been a key bi-annual trade show for us. Seeing the collection on display and getting immediate feedback from buyers and our sales team gives us a sense of validation in the design work that we do, which is a major part of the grand puzzle of KERISMA.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
KERISMA is a playful spelling of the word “charisma” with our family name KE. I believe every woman has great inner charisma — a spellbinding aura of beauty and realness — and that fashion has the power to ignite it with confidence and care. Drawing inspiration from nature and architecture, we offer unique knit designs that are elegant, versatile, and extra cozy for multi-generational women of every shade and shape. Our team is a melting pot of cultures that is representative of the multi-dimensional products that we selectively create and produce season after season. Being that we are a multi-generational family business — comprised of the parents, an elder daughter, and a younger son — with the challenge of aligning and communicating our goals effectively is a stand out of its own.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
Funnily, it’s been ‘to slow down and simplify.’ Making things easier for myself over the years is a continuing goal. Being a newlywed, I am navigating married life and work balance with my wonderfully supportive and dreamy husband, Aldo.
Who is your fashion hero or heroine? Why?
There are many, but the two that come to mind are Vivienne Westwood and Henrik Vibskov. Whether they are alive or dead doesn’t matter; their legacy lives on because their work has inspired and impacted many generations during their lifetimes. Both are visionaries with strong aesthetic sensibilities that are playful and utilitarian. Their ability to transpose and interweave many art forms and disciplines, from music, dance, and architecture to politics, social justice, and sustainability, is infinitely stimulating.
Why did you decide to create and use a sustainable business model for your fashion brand?
Sustainability goes hand in hand with longevity. Every resource is precious in a company of our size. Being mindful and utilizing our resources — human, material, technological, and intellectual — sensibly at every level is necessary to sustain and grow healthily as a business. There is extra care when family members are involved, but there is also more trust and protection in the long run. We created KERISMA as a legacy brand, meaning that our hearts and minds are wholeheartedly invested in the company to continue nourishing our growing families, our dear employees and partners, and supporting our cherished customer base for the long haul.
What are three things we should all know about “slow fashion”?
I’d say that ‘slower fashion’ is about prioritizing our own time and energies as a business, a team, a family, and as individuals… ideally in reverse order =) Once we value ourselves, we know how to project that priority forward, directly into our products and every aspect of our business operations. Often, it means being realistic with our timelines, scaling back, and being flexible as situations arise.
A recent example is when we moved our in-house Annual Sample Sale Event several times last year, then ultimately canceled it in order to prioritize other projects and ensure quality rest on the weekends. Additionally, we switched to a 4-day workweek during the first half of the year to operate more efficiently given slowing demands.
Can you please explain how it can be fashionable to buy less, wait a little longer, or even repair clothing?
It’s more rewarding to have a few special pieces than many disposable seasonal ones. As a child, my Grandma would hand-knit winter sweaters and occasionally have custom-made clothes for me for the holidays. She bought the essential undergarments and jackets, but it’s the handmade items that left a lasting impression on me. I was very particular in choosing my fabrics and color scheme. She mended my sweaters when there were holes, and my mom does the same now in our studios.
I didn’t discover fast fashion until we moved to NYC in my early teens. Immediately, I felt the quality difference. There was an instant thrill in the purchase, but it didn’t last beyond one season. Often, little imperfections are what make a piece of clothing special. Also, paying less for second-hand items is extra pleasurable. There’s the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of finding something that uniquely expresses us.
Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Slow Fashion Brand”.
1 . Prioritize human connections over profit. My mom is known as “Mama Ke” in our office/studio. She brings homemade Wenzhou dishes to share with our team regularly. She is a semi-retired seamstress who helps with quality control, sample development, and small repairs. She reminds us to cherish family and nourish our bodies with quality slow foods. She is also a bargain hunter, so finding designer labels at a steep discount, second-hand and new, is very satisfying to her.
2 Prioritize quality over quantity.
3. Choose recycled (and upcycled) materials over new virgin materials. Sixty percent of our collections are made using recycled blends.
4 . Care for our employees by setting them up for long-term success with healthy raises and promotions, healthcare benefits, and retirement planning.
5 . Give back and celebrate what you cherish most. In our case, it’s supporting the arts and design world through our 2% for Arts and Culture program.
Regarding the movement, if I could start one to bring the most good to the most people, it would be a global initiative to promote environmental conservation and sustainability. This movement would aim to educate individuals and communities on the importance of preserving our planet, reducing waste, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. By raising awareness and implementing practical solutions, we can protect our environment for future generations and ensure a healthier, more sustainable world for all.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I believe in animism, where inanimate objects have a spirit or soul that chooses its owner as much as the owner chooses them. With fashion, I feel it is important to honor our favorite pieces of clothing by sharing the special memories we’ve had in them. While this concept may already exist, I envision hosting SIP & SNIP events, where people can come together and share those stories. They could then snip up their beloved garments and reconstruct them into something new, perhaps even trading with others.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can follow us on IG @shopkerisma and signup on our newsletter at shopkerisma.com Thank you so much for including me in this important topic.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org.
Lihui Ke On Why They Are Embracing Slow Fashion and Renewable Consumption was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.