Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kallie Novicki. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kallie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

One of my favorite aspects of my business is being able to offer a really special, one of a kind product to my clients. My pieces are all made to order, which means I can make a piece, a dress for example, for someone completely custom to their size and measurements. Since I tend to use deadstock or vintage fabrics, my collections are also usually small-batch, which means that I can usually only make about 5-10 pieces using a particular fabric. I do this to help reduce waste as both the textile and retail industries can both take a toll on our environment. I also think it makes ordering an item from my shop feel really exciting, since you’re getting a piece that isn’t mass-produced.

My mother was also a seamstress and had a bespoke children’s clothing company when I was growing up. I remember being so captivated by the expertise, love and care that went into each handmade piece. That feeling stayed with me and I knew when I started by business that would be an important part of my mission. It’s also just really fun to source vintage or forgotten materials and create something new out of them!

Kallie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Kallie Novicki and my brand is called Lovely Kallie. I design and hand-make whimsical, romantic clothing, lingerie and accessories in my home studio in Austin, TX. I grew up sewing and in college, would thrift vintage clothing and upcycle it into something new. Since then, I’ve moved on to creating designs from scratch (think feminine, flowy dresses and accessories like hair bows and oversized scrunchies!) and love making custom pieces for my clients.

As someone who has worked in the retail and fashion industry since I was a teenager, I understand the unique frustration of finding clothing that fits well and that you feel amazing in. Being able to take my client’s measurements allows me to make my designs custom fit to their bodies and offer a size-inclusive product. I also only use really high quality fabrics and it’s my hope that my pieces will become an heirloom and classic style for my client’s closet for years to come.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A big lesson I’ve had to unlearn is that my business is not for everyone! I’ve had to develop a bit of a thick skin, especially when doing market pop-ups for my business as there are people out there who are not afraid to tell you exactly what they think of your work and price points. Flowy, long dresses with ruffles, bows and sashes may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m obsessed with them and I love connecting with others who feel the same.

I think that in the world of Amazon and fast-fashion, price points of handmade pieces can come as a shock to some. I’ve found that sharing the why behind my prices is really important and impactful. I source high quality fabrics and materials, my pieces are made to order completely based on the customer’s measurements so that piece is just for them, and items like my dresses take up to 6 yards of fabric and about 8 hours to make. My pieces are designed and crafted in a way that is meant to last, versus a fast-fashion item that may fall apart after just a few wears.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

While I officially started my business back when I was in college, my path took me away from that for several years. In 2020, I re-launched under my current name, Lovely Kallie, and it was a weekend side hustle for the last 3 years. I started with a single product, “The Scrunch”, a fun update to the classic hair scrunchie hair accessory. I’ve since expanded to offer over 20 different products, including hair bows, tops, dresses and custom lingerie. This year, I officially went full time and am so happy I get to do what I love every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lovelykallie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplovelykallie/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoplovelykallie/

Image Credits
Jordan Schiappa