The Stories We Wear — Kelly Vittengl

KELLY

Kelly is a US-born and raised, pocket rocket. An open book on the joys and pitfalls of love, sense of self or lack thereof, the beauty of menswear on women, travel, moving, moving again, friendships and the power of women and of course, beautiful antique rugs. 

The founder of Frances Loom; a curated collection of furniture and home accessories. A lust-worthy collection of pieces that make you want to move in, with her.

You have created a seriously successful, international business and a go to in the interiors and décor world, how did it all come about?

It all happened very serendipitously. I had no intention of starting a rug business. I was living in LA, working in set design and was just about to quit my job to start my own interior design firm. I decided to create a little online shop on the side, to sell the rugs my clients didn’t want, and through Instagram, that took off completely organically. It was absolutely mad! 

You grew up in New York, moved to LA and now live in London. How have these places shaped and steered your style?

Looking back, I feel like I was a completely different person in all three cities. Each city very specifically influences my design eye and personal style. When in NY I was much more “glam”, if you will, wearing heels and going out all the time (granted I lived in Manhattan in my early 20’s). Los Angeles brought out my outdoorsy, hippy self. Lots of vintage denim, tee shirts, flowy dresses… that sort of thing. London, my favourite of all, has brought out the part of me that feels most me: classic and refined. 

As someone who openly speaks about your personal inward journey, how do you find enough space for self along with the craziness that is modern life?

I think I’ll have a lifelong vulnerability hangover from my podcast!! To be honest, sharing about my personal life is *exhausting* and does require a lot of down time. I’m out and about around London most days, so I require at least 3-4 nights a week where I can stay home, cook, have a bath, and just relax with a movie. I also have a quick 30-minute routine every morning that consists of 10 minutes breathwork and 20-minutes meditation. The daily breath work has been a game changer for my anxiety! 

As human beings, we are constantly craving, wanting to do better, achieve more, be stronger, quieter, wilder, more passionate , the list goes on. How do you find peace among the inner mutterings of our worried minds?

I’m in the process of doing an online course called “UnBecoming” with Jessica Hesser. Something she has us practicing is to catch ourselves throughout the day when we’re looking for bigger/better/more — all constructs of the ego. This has been hugely helpful for me recently, because I get caught up in imposter syndrome all the time. It’s a great exercise to do, and then ask yourself “why” you’re seeking that experience in that moment. Often times that desire doesn’t actually have any substance to it, it’s just that part of ourselves seeking validation through something external. It’s certainly a constant battle, but one I’m attempting to tackle!

A fellow fan of unisex wear and especially mens shirts, what is it about these shapes that work so well?

I often find that the fit of menswear is just more relaxed. Even in womenswear there will be the “boyfriend” fit, but it’s still cut to a woman and sort of defeats the purpose. There’s something very cool about a piece of men’s clothing on a woman’s body. 

You are a champion of the power of women. What is it about this fierce sex that you love so dearly?

Women are honestly incredible. We’re so smart, empathetic and capable. I feel like I could write a novel on this, there are probably five thousand more adjectives I could use. I was listening to a podcast yesterday that said “women can 3D print humans, how insane is that?” It made me laugh, but it’s simply the truth! Our bodies are minds and bodies are magic! 

Lastly, you set up your business in your early twenties. Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your younger self?

I would give my younger self a big, long, much-needed hug. I was 24 when I started brewing Frances Loom, and I already felt behind — which is just ridiculous! It sort of falls back to the bigger/better/more point I made earlier… I felt like I needed to start something to prove myself. Looking back I needed a couple of large doses of trust, compassion, and self-love.