Rancho Cucamonga, California, United States
Originally a fashion designer, Kathy Tran Wilson began her professional career as a designer for Richard Tyler Couture in 2003. Kathy launched her namesake line, Kathy Wilson Atelier (KWA), in 2009 when Stevie Wonder requested to wear a custom KWA jacket to President Obama's first White House Correspondents' Dinner. Stevie’s was one of the most photographed looks that historic night. KWA’s other celebrity clients include Michelle Pfeifer, Sofia Milos, Sophia Bush, Diplo, Masi Oka, Chris Jacobs, and Adam Lambert. Kathy was profiled on Season 2 of the critically acclaimed Sundance series, "All On The Line With Joe Zee," featured on "Access Hollywood" and "The Insider," and was recognized as an emerging Asian-American fashion designer by the Asia Society. While launching KWA, Kathy became pregnant with her first child, which exposed her to the harsh realities facing women with reproductive health issues. This led to Kathy retiring from fashion and focusing on women's political issues. She joined Vote Run Lead (VRL), which trains women to run for political office and win, in 2015 and serves as the Co-Chair of VRL's Leadership Council. Kathy has established connections with Silicon Valley companies like Google and worked with them to make it easier for Americans to find out how they can run for political office. Kathy is passionate about fundraising for good causes. She specializes in connecting brands and industries to form powerful coalitions that can drive social and political change, increase brand visibility, and enhance profitability.
Are We The Only Ones is a podcast that discusses politics and pop culture through the eyes of host, Kathy Wilson and her guests.
Fundraising and strategic development of partnerships to help expand the visibility of Vote Run Lead and its members.
Featured designer for "All On the Line with Joe Zee" for Sundance Channel Designed custom pieces for celebrity clients: Adam Lambert, Stevie Wonder for the 2009 White House Correspondents' Dinner, Michelle Pfeifer, Sophia Bush, Masi Oka, Sofia Milos for the Los Angeles & Italian Film Festival 2010, Nia Long, and wardrobe for Chris Jacobs, host of "The Insider" on CBS Created two lines of women's clothing and men's suiting Designed pearl jewelry, handbag, and shoe collections Constructed flat sketches, CAD illustrations, and technical packets for all designs Conducted all fittings to ensure proper fit, draping, and construction Traveled to China, Vietnam, and Mexico to source materials and manufacturers Oversaw production quality control in China Produces photoshoots Managed brand marketing and public relations Academy Award gifting suites
Assisted Richard Tyler with the design of 6 collections over 3 lines, comprising 175 pieces Designed custom pieces for celebrity clients Oversaw all fittings for proper tailoring, hang, draping, and construction Sourced fabric and trim from domestic and international providers Managed quality control of the patternmaking department Front-of-House Coordinator for fashion shows during L.A. Fashion Week Assisted on specialized items for nominees to be worn during the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Golden Globes Created line sheets in Illustrator Assisted with sewing and beading of couture pieces when needed Top sales performer Key holder of flagship store/showroom Managed sample pulls for stylists