When Kim Kardashian released her new fragrance line in January, her usual neutrals-heavy look had a Toronto twist. Designer Kathryn Bowen was tapped to design three mesh bustier looks for the reality star’s promotional material. We spoke with Bowen about her fashion inspiration and how the Kardashian team connected with her.

What inspired you to pursue fashion?

My mom taught me how to sew as a teenager, just as she taught me how to draw and paint as a kid. So all these creative outlets were part of my childhood, but fashion was something that grew on me in high school when my sister and I started collecting fashion magazines. With a deep desire to study fashion design, I enrolled at London College of Fashion in England for my undergrad and have been working in fashion ever since. I launched my own Toronto-based label when I moved back to Canada in 2017.

Why is fashion important to you?

I think fashion is an essential component of a person’s identity. Without fashion there’s no self expression. Whether you’re a fashion consumer or not, the clothes you wear reflect the inevitable changes in your life; personal style, uniforms for work, seasonal changes… basically they are an extension of ourselves.

How did Kim Kardashian’s team get in touch with you?

For a while my stylist, Basia Wyzsynski, had been in touch with a member of Kim Kardashian’s KKW Fragrance team, showing them my work. The team knew Kim would be interested in my mesh designs, but it wasn’t until Kim needed dresses for her fragrance launch that they reached out unexpectedly.

Kim wore three variations of a Vivienne Westwood dress for her last fragrance launch and planned to do the same for this upcoming launch shoot. Once Kim saw my mesh bustier dress on Instagram, she decided it would be the dress to model the new three off of. After that, it was a whirlwind two weeks of sketching, sewing and fitting to make the designs come to life. It happened very fast.

I think the mesh lingerie-inspired pieces that I design are a pretty obvious fit for Kim! Super sexy, meticulously fitted, and the colours I often use are neutral tones, which she’s very drawn to. For this fragrance launch in particular, the looks I designed really made sense with the product design, floral themes and overall art direction of the shoot.

What is your work inspired by?

I have always been inspired by clothes that have a function. Garments that remain timeless and necessary in a wardrobe like workwear, uniforms, undergarments, corsetry and heritage brands that sell staples like Levi’s and Mackintosh. The story behind these types of garments is inspiring to me because there are always practical reasons behind design features, placements of pockets, fastenings and reinforcements that allow them to be able to stand the test of time. I love smart garment construction. That’s what inspires me the most.

Who are some of your favourite fashion influences?

Alexander McQueen, Prada and Thierry Mugler — those are the big ones. But I would also just say vintage clothes in general. Finding unique pieces that are constructed in a fascinating way is always part of my process, influencing my designs every season.

What’s next for you?

My production for SSense and Nordstrom is currently happening, so spring/summer styles will be out in the near future. But hopefully expanding my team and having my collections become available among more retailers is next. I’d also love to collaborate with artists or other brands, so let’s see!