BY SIMONE J. SMITH
She holds the 2019 Ladies Wear Designer of the Year Award from the African Fashion Industry Award and had done so three times. She has dressed major influencers like Cityline’s Tracy Moore, actress and author Busy Philipps, and most recently influencer/model Lolo. She has been interviewed on CBC Toronto, and made an appearance on Tracy Moore’s show; the sky is the limit for Catherine Addai, Founder and CEO of Kaela Kay, and Toronto Caribbean Newspaper had the honour of sitting down with her to get some insight on how it feels to be the new fashion beacon of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Our first initial meeting time for the interview did not work out because not only is Catherine the owner of Kaela Kay, she is also a mother of three and a wife. Somehow she still found time in her day to sit down with me to discuss how she got launched into the fashion industry. “To be honest with you Simone,” Catherine started, “I had no formal training in dressmaking; my educational background is in the health industry, and before this, I worked in the industry for 10 years. It was always my safety net. It was not until my first maternity leave that I took up sewing for fun, but I was only doing it for friends and family. I have always loved prints and bright colours; it might have something to do with my Ghanian roots. When I choose to wear an outfit to an event or a party, I like to represent Africa through the Ankara textiles, and this is what happened that one night that I decided that I wanted to wear something African inspired.”
Catherine took a breath, and continued, “I knew this event was coming up, and I wanted to wear something different. My mom went out and brought me home a sewing machine. I proceeded to watch YouTube videos, and basically do sewing 101, just so I could get this dress completed. It took me a month to make the dress, but when I walked in and saw the reaction that I was getting, I knew that it had all been worth it. It has basically been a whirlwind since then; I started to make more pieces for myself, and then people started to request dresses.”
Catherine took her next big step and decided to put a collection together. She used student models, student hair designers, and she did the photo shoot for the collection in China Town. She told me that she still has those pictures; they remind her of where she has come from, and how far she has gone. Now, her mission is to create clothing that makes all women feel: fearless, gorgeous, and powerful, but first she had to empower herself.
“I registered the business officially in 2013, and this was no easy feat. I was opposed to the whole idea because I didn’t want to be a burden to my husband. I was so scared to take that leap, but it was my husband who gave me a final push. He told me that he believed in me, and reminded me that there would always be jobs there if I truly felt the need to return to the nine to five lifestyle. Once I heard that, I knew exactly what I needed to do. It was during one of my maternity leaves that I decided to throw caution to the wind, and I resigned from my job. I must admit that I cried right after doing it. It was a mix of fear, anxiety, and excitement of the unknown. I knew that this business was a sustainable one, and with all of the family support I was getting, I knew that success was a needle stitch away.”
Business picked up quickly for Catherine, and it became a challenge at times with the hours she was working, and the amount of traffic that was coming through her home. “It was starting to look unprofessional; I had people coming in and out of my house at all times of the day and night. I decided that it was time to actually have a space. I got an agent to look into spaces for me; originally I wanted an office space, but the agent told me that the price difference between storefront and office on a second floor was small.”
One of the spaces she first saw drew her in; it wasn’t for rent, until the owners Googled her and saw that she had a huge following and that she had been on Cityline. Upon learning that, they offered her the space. “Hmmmmm! Interesting how that works,” Catherine remarked. “All it took was to see that I had some influence, and just like that, the space was available.”
Within two years of Catherine realizing she wanted and needed her own space, 857 Wilson Ave, North York, Ontario became available to her. “It took six weeks to get the space together with the help of Brenda Danso of BD Interior designs. Everything that touched this space is African; from the very beginning it has been a collaborative space.”
“Having it as a collaborative space has allowed me to work closely with creative, and talented seamstresses to create well-made and well-fitting styles for our fashion forward community. I love designing, but not everything is my cup of tea. I have young women who specialize in making purses, children’s clothing, head wraps, collars, and outerwear. Working alongside these women has allowed them to cultivate their artistic abilities, and to live the life that they have always desired.”
“I guess it is time to head down to visit you?” I stated enthusiastically.
“Yes, please come! We have something for everyone. The future is bright, so why wear boring clothing?”
You can learn more about Catherine Addai by visiting her at https://kaelakay.com/. You can also find her on Facebook at Kaela-Kay Collections by Catherine Addai, Twitter at twitter.com/kaelakayonline, on Instagram @kaelakayonline/, and on Pinterest @kaelakayonline
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