Meet Christina Pannone | Clothing Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christina Pannone and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In college I interned in Paris for a small designer who built her brand making one of a kind clothing. That experience showed me that it was possible for me to start my own clothing line as an individual and focus on the things that are important to me, and that I didn’t need a huge startup investment to make it happen. I wanted to make a clothing line that focused on USA made fabrics and ethical production. I wanted to do it on my own terms without compromising on sustainability or ethical production so starting a business just felt natural.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m most proud that my clothing line is produced in my studio in Virginia using only fabrics made in the USA. It was important to me to make sure that my clothing was produced ethically. This was a challenge for a number of reasons – fabric made in the USA is more expensive, as well as the cost to produce the clothing in-house. I spent a long time sourcing fabrics to find fabrics that met my standards for quality, that were affordable, and that were made in the USA. I also spent a long time working to make sure the labor costs would make sense as my company continues to grow so that myself and any employees I might hire in the future would be paid fairly.

Along the way, I’ve learned that there is a lot to be said for listening to my values and pushing past the naysayers. When I started my company I was told that there was no way I’d be able to sustain a brand without outsourcing production overseas. I was glad that I didn’t listen to those voices and found a way to produce my clothing in a way that aligns with my values. I have seen in sales, and heard directly from customers, that they appreciate the ethics and values behind what I’m doing which has been incredibly validating.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Here in the Northern VA/DC area, pre-COVID, I’d take them to shop at the amazing independently owned boutiques all around the area (Park Story, Three Littles, Olive & Loom and so many more), a walk through Huntley Meadows, a walk around the National Mall and Tidal Basin (especially now for cherry blossoms).

Northern Virginia and DC have so many great independently owned boutiques and restaurants. Walking around and exploring the areas with an open ended itinerary is the best way to experience any city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family definitely deserves a lot of credit for all of their support of me and my business particularly my grandmother, Ann. She taught me how to sew as a child and introduced me to the world of clothing design. She is an amazingly talented sewist and still helps me with any sewing quandaries I might come across. She spent many hours with me working on patterns and teaching me everything she knows about garment construction. I admire her skill and creativity as well as the way she takes on any creative challenge.

Website: www.knidesigns.com

Instagram: @knidesigns

Facebook: @knidesigns

Image Credits
Sarah Marcella Creative