Southern designer Kathryn Hayes brings the beauty of Savannah to life in her new collection for Mix Julep. Debuting her Mix Julep 2017 collection at Charleston Fashion Week this week, MyScoop interviewed Hayes to discover her inspiration and find out what happiness and success means in her life. Learn more about Mix Julep here.
What inspires you about waking up each morning? My children and having something I enjoy doing each day. I think its important to find some type of work you love doing to feel a since of accomplishment. I like having something creative to work toward as well as other hobbies. I enjoy being with my family and friends and having a good balance on work and play time.
What inspires your designs? I am inspired by the warm climate and casual coastal setting of Savannah, GA where we live. The coastal setting inspires me to lean toward resort wear designs. My Resort collection for Charleston Fashion Week 2017 is colorful with a good mixture of solids and floral/tropical patterns and textures. Although this collection is tropical island inspired, I believe you can take it from the island to the city any day of the week. The thing I love about this collection is that you can create many different looks by mixing and matching the pieces.
How does your family inspire you? My family inspires me in many ways but it was when I was pregnant with my 2nd child that I started to explore my creative side and began painting art on canvas to decorate her nursery. Painting made me want to do more creatively because I felt a since of accomplishment. I enjoy doing something that makes children proud and hope to teach them that hard work can be rewarding. I would like to build a business that my daughter or son could one day be a part of. My husband of 15 years has always dreamed big which has inspired me to dream a little bigger myself.
What is your favorite place in the world? The beach is my favorite place to be. I love being able to live near the beach and rivers in the city I grew up in. There is something comforting about being around the people who know you best. My husband and I travelled to Maui a few times and that is by far my favorite island I have ever traveled to. There are still so many places in the world I’d like to see but Savannah is always going to be the place I want to come home to.
What advice would you give women going through life’s trials and tribulations? Trust God even in hard times because sometimes he is pushing us to do something new or to make a change for the better. There is usually a hidden blessing in each trial we go through. There is a verse in the bible, Romans 5, that particularly helped me through a rough patch that talks about rejoicing in our suffering because it produces perseverance which produces character, and character produces hope. My advice is to not give up and eventually everything will fall into place if you keep trying.
How do we begin to seek a better life? Find your talent and then find a way to use it. Don’t sit around being bored…Find your passion or a hobby. Don’t be afraid to face your fears or do something out of the ordinary. Don’t worry about what other people will think. Create a home environment you enjoy and dress well! Enjoy the journey of life and don’t worry so much. I think life is better when we have lots of friends, so seeking new friendships is important. I feel that happiness is a choice not something that happens based on circumstances.
Describe your personal style? My personal style is feminine, bold and colorful. I am casual most days but I really love to dress up for an occasion. I like to mix trends with classic pieces in order to create a good balance. I like to find fun patterns and clothing that speaks for itself and doesn’t need a lot of jewelry.
What did you wear as a child? My Mom dressed me in pretty smocked dresses when I was a little girl. I had straight blonde hair till I was 4 or 5 , that she would put in sponge curlers that I would sleep in over night. I remember them not being very comfortable to sleep in but, I guess I really liked the curls. In the summers, I basically lived in a bathing suit and T shirt b/c I was always at the pool or beach. I wore a uniform to school but started enjoying boutique store clothing when I was in high school. I liked the quality and the uniqueness of not having on the same dress as someone else.
Advice to women in their 20s. Seek to find what your talents are and find a way to use them. Travel as much as you can before having children. Save as much money as you can for the rainy days that you won’t see coming. Work toward owning your own home. Don’t settle for a job you hate but stick with it until you find another one that makes you happy. Finding a person you truly love and creating a family is the most important decision you can make so make sure its with the right person. All the other things in life are in constant change so enjoy the journey of it while seeking God for help in all you do.