Plant 10 trees
Offset 5kgs CO2
Rescue 5 plastic bottles
WHO WE ARE
The fact is that, back in 2016, KLEED was born to be sustainable. We all know that true sustainability – environmental, social and economic - is a journey in itself and ours started when KLEED was born. Today, as a brand, KLEED is in full force – exciting, energized and glorious. Inspiring? Certainly. But how did it all come about? It’s time to tell you the KLEED story.
The true story - the grit and the glamour.
Carolina, the founder and CEO of KLEED, has two ruling passions in her life: wildlife conservation and luxury fashion. Carolina has always worked hands-on, month-long stints, in various rhino and elephant conservation projects in Africa - with the long hours and primitive conditions they entail.
Equally important in her life, luxury fashion: artistry, aesthetics, and craftsmanship. The quest for perfection. The thrill of risking one’s all, on one’s daring collection.
Inspired by her iconic grandmother – chic personified, in her flowing silk kimonos and long-line dresses – she knew that luxury loungewear was the future. Yet there was Africa, there was the whole world, beckoning, demanding her attention. How could she possibly reconcile the two spheres? By being true to herself.
Painfully short-staffed – and even shorter on budget – she spent days, choosing through reams of leftover fabrics, working with seamstresses to bring her creations to life and literally worked around the clock to deliver.
Uncompromising on quality yet fearlessly focused on growing the brand and it’s markets.
INSPIRING INDIA
Next, the need for business partners that could fuel KLEED’s growth took her to India.
Incredible India.
In one of those trips, Carolina discovered Jaipur – magical Jaipur. Where India’s culture and fascinating history throb with life. Where a thriving multi-cultural and global community of designers and creatives welcomed her warmly and immediately made the team feel at home. An international trading post of commerce in jewellery, fabrics, and anything else…
A random meeting in a tuk-tuk brought Carolina to a supplier, who understood what she wanted for KLEED and introduced her to trustworthy business partners. They even opened up their home for us for a month-long stay, while we made it all happen – together.
In India we found a warmly welcoming community of semi-resident designers, wanderlust travelers and itinerant artists - a veritable community of fashion, the arts and design.
And that’s how it all started...
We truly care for our communities and partner with like-minded local artisans, designers, conservationists and businesses, to honour and preserve their cultural heritage. KLEED wants to make a meaningful contribution to their economies and lives, paying them fair wages with no child labour involved in any of our products manufacturing.
We are deeply, quietly grateful to our clients, partners and followers - for believing in us and in KLEED’s unique place in the sustainable fashion industry. We are awed by all we have achieved together, over these seven years, from fashion startup to thriving business. And we are thrilled with our exciting vision of the future – and everything we can do, to ensure a balanced and long-lasting world for our children.
