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This week’s episode is with local fashion designer Kenard Smith, and when I say fashion designer, I really mean multihyphenate because Kenard does it all. Fashion, photography, catering, mentoring, teaching, playing the drums, all while maintaining a level of discipline that I could only aspire to achieve. Kenard has only been sewing for around three years self-taught to now teaching all ages at his studio in Cape Cod. It was a pleasure to chat with him this episode and to learn from his optimized lifestyle where he really pours into himself. I hope you all enjoy as much as I did!
Where to find ----
See Kenard’s upcoming shows at
Cape Cod Fashion Week https://www.signedmgmt.com/fashion-week-of-cape-cod
MASS Fashion Week
For sewing lessons or fabric donations reach out to Kenard via Instagram DM at either of the above links.
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Local Threads Podcast on all audio platforms https://local-threads.transistor.fm/
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Local Threads is produced, edited, and hosted by Molly Rae
Info@localthreadspodcast.com for inquiries
Music by: Moby Gratis
Creators and Guests
Host
Molly Rae
What is Local Threads?
Local Threads is a storytelling podcast documenting the voices of New England's creative community. Artists, organizers, and culture makers who shape spaces, movements, and shared experiences.
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[00:00:00] Welcome to this week's episode of Local Threads. I'm Molly, your host, and this week I'm sitting down with Kennard Smith, a self-taught fashion designer based on Cape Cod who went from pulling a sewing machine out of storage to showing 15 pieces at Cape Cod Fashion Week in under two months. Yeah, you heard that right.
[00:00:20] Let's talk about it.
[00:00:23] Welcome to the podcast. Thank you for having me. All the way from the Cape.
[00:00:27] Yes, ma'am. Over the bridge, which is kind of a pain. How is it like living on the Cape? It's fun. It's fun. It's, it's- Yeah ... some- takes some getting used to. Yeah. But I've been there for now five years, been through a couple winters, so- Yeah ... I guess I'm local now. That's cool. Where are you from originally?
[00:00:46] Originally from Jamaica, Montego Bay. That's amazing. Yeah. Do you get to go back? I've been back twice. Oh. But yeah. I wanna go there. You definitely should. Yeah. , I know I would love the food. I know I just would love it. Mm-hmm. All, all aspects, you'll, you'll enjoy it. Yeah. Do- so does your family live here as well?
[00:01:05] My mom, dad, and sister all live here, and everybody else is in Jamaica. Okay. So they go, they get to go to your fashion shows? Yeah. Yes, ma'am. That's awesome. That's really cool. Um, I haven't lived around family in 20 years, so- Wow ... that's really good that you have local support. Um, when did you... Let's take it back to, when did you get into the arts?
[00:01:26] So I've always been a creative from a young age, drawing, painting, but my first intro to art is middle school art class, drawing, learning how to, the primary colors, how to c- color match. Mm-hmm. But from then on, always stuck with the drawing and painting. And then from there it was photography, then sewing came.
[00:01:51] Do you still do all three of those? I do. Yes. And do you have a favorite, or is just all, you love just creating everything? Well, right now favorite is fashion, obviously. Yeah, yeah. But I do still dabble in the photography and the painting. Yeah. That's interesting. When did you start sewing? I guess, when did you learn to sew? I love getting that question, 'cause everybody, when I tell everybody, they're always shocked, like, "Really?"
[00:02:15] But it all started in May of 2022, or May of 2024, or 2023, sorry. May 2023. That was just the other day. Yeah. So, um, out of curiosity, my sister took lessons when she was younger. Mm-hmm. But we lived in Georgia. So she always took lessons but never stuck with it. So the machines, like, went storage, collected dust.
[00:02:37] We moved to the Cape, they were still in storage, so I pulled them out, pulled up YouTube, how do I make a shirt from scratch? And from then on, just watching videos nonstop- Mm-hmm ... reading books about how to make patterns. I fell in love with it. That's awesome. And here I am today. So what was the first thing that you made?
[00:02:54] , It was a jacket. A jacket? Yeah. So a blazer. Okay. And do you- Was the first thing I made. You do, uh, menswear and womenswear. Menswear, womenswear, kids, all ages, all shape, sizes. What would you say that your, like, style is? Or I guess aesthetic? I would say classy business wear. Okay. Is my go-to.
[00:03:16] I also thought it had a lot of, like, resort vibe. Mm-hmm. I get that a lot. Yeah. Like, most of my summer shows, it gets that vibe. I loved your summer show. Thank you. Thank you. I didn't get to go to MassFashion Week in November. I was just tired. Understandable. Uh, but I did see that your, your stuff too, and it gave the same vibe, but obviously not, like, resort wear.
[00:03:39] Yeah. So a jacket? That... So like a tailored jacket? Yeah, I s- I still have it. Good. I wore, actually wore it in my, as my, like, final piece in Mass Fashion Week last year, or in November. Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. I saw the picture. It looked good. Yeah. Thank you. Dang. Thank you. You're... So you made that from scratch, and like upcycled- Well, so that was, that was a curtain I got from Goodwill.
[00:04:01] Oh, nice. I ma- made my own patterns and took my measurements and made it, uh, to fit me, so. So you're doing patterns as well? Yeah, I make patterns and everything. Dang. Yeah. I always w- like, 'cause for me p- the pattern part just frustrates me so much. Like- It takes a lot. It's a lot of, lot of patience involved in it.
[00:04:17] Yeah, and I don't have that, and I always admire people that, like, just have a knack for it. ... Well, all of the, like, store-bought patterns suck anyway. Um, so I- Don't start over there. Yeah. When I, I first saw that, I've never understood it. No. So is it easier to just learn how to make them yourself?
[00:04:34] Definitely. In my opinion, I definitely think it's better to learn how to make patterns. Yeah. So once you get that, you c- you could get those patterns and adjust it to your best fitting or y- your knowledge. Okay. I might have to try that 'cause yeah, the, I just w- wad them up and throw them away. I- They're too, they're too complicated.
[00:04:51] They're too many numbers, too many lines. The instructions are terrible, and also they're not t- fit tested ever. Yeah. From what I hear. I don't know. Never finished an- any of it. I don't know how many times I, like, ruined fabric too because I forgot to, like, fold it. Mm-hmm. The first time you made a jacket was essentially three years ago.
[00:05:12] Yeah. And how many fashion shows have you done since then? The f- So my f- first started sewing was May 2023. My first show was in July of 2023. What? Yeah, it was on Cape Cod Fashion Week. Wow. How many pieces did you end up making? Did 15. No, stop. In, in one month, 15 in one month. Wow. Yeah. And do you mostly upcycle?
[00:05:34] So when I first started, and I, I still do it now, I never, like, go to, like, big fashion, like, thr- fashion stores or fabric stores. Mm-hmm. Everything is thrifted, Goodwill, church shops- Okay ... secondhand shops, so everything's re- repurposed. That's so cool. And do you do pop-ups or you just generally sell at your shows or how does that work?
[00:05:56] I do pop-ups mostly. I've never, like, really posted the things I've made on, like, website or social media. Mm-hmm. Just like the videos and behind the scenes, so. Only sales I get from the clothes I make is if somebody buys it off the runway or after a show. That's awesome. Yeah. So you have, like, no stock. No, no.
[00:06:14] That's really great. Everything's one of one, yeah. That's really cool to go from, like, "Let me just try this" to being in a fashion show in, like- Yeah ... a month and a half. Exactly. That's wild. I- How do you- So I get a lot, everybody's, like, shocked that I learned that quick and caught on that fast 'cause everybody's, especially that seeing a man of my age and color in fashion- Yeah
[00:06:37] is rare, so they, really shocks them when they hear that. [00:06:40] And also, I love following y- you because you're so positive. Thank you. And, like, share a message of, like, just keep going. Exactly. And it seems like from an outside perspective, like, just now knowing that you, um, started and was in a fashion show, you didn't let y- like, any kind of imposter syndrome get to you at all.
[00:07:09] At all. At all. You were like, "No, I'm doing this." Were you scared? I was not. So the funny thing is I worked at Subway for like five, six years when I moved to Cape Cod, and I like working. Doesn't mi- doesn't bother me, but I wanted something different. Mm-hmm. And when I picked up sewing, I'm like, "Okay, I'm getting this."
[00:07:29] So I, I made a video actually on my phone when I left work one day. I was in, sitting in the car. I said, "Give me two months and I'm gonna take off for this fashion." In my mind, that was gonna happen, but that didn't happen. But the thing is, I still kept with it. Yeah. Stuck with it, being persistent, consistent with the learning and sewing, and I'm glad I didn't- Yeah
[00:07:47] glad I didn't stop. That's wild. Because for anybody to, for, even for me, like, I'm scared right now. I'm always scared to do it. But I do it scared. Yeah, exactly. But- You have to ... even just to not be n- like, were you, you weren't nervous at the fashion show? I was not. Dang. I'd be so scared. And I g- one thing I get a lot was when I do the shows, everybody said y'all was w- well prepared.
[00:08:13] I'm, everything's always- Yeah ... the models' names on it, everything's organized with who's going where, what's doing what. Er- so when I get there, all I do is give the models and my job's done. That's awesome. Yeah. It, whenever I went to a Cape Cod Fashion Week, first of all, it was a really, um, well put together show.
[00:08:31] And it was just a great vibe. Yeah. And everybody loved your, , pieces. Thank you. Thank you. I, I didn't, I couldn't see what happens on the stage, but I got a lot of feedback saying those are amazing looks. Yeah. And when can I buy what? When are those going on sale? So- Yeah ... that's, that's good feedback to get.
[00:08:46] I enjoy getting that. That's really, I mean, that's all anybody ever wants, right? Yeah. When they create something and sell it right away. Exactly. I mean, I think the one girl- What's her brand? Out of Office? Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think she bought pants o- the pants off of you. Yeah, she bought the pants and then just- I'm so jealous
[00:09:04] matching shirt. I was so jealous. I was like, "Dang, I wanted those." They were really cool. Thank you. So you also are a chef? I am. Current- just recently graduated from Four Season Cape Cod Culinary Arts program, now adding private chef events to my arsenal of jobs. So wait, tell me all of your offerings as- Okay
[00:09:27] the the Kennard universe, tell me all of your... So I do photography, whether it's wedding, event, whatever, portraits. Mm-hmm. I do weddings. I do, um, mu- murals or paintings. I do landscaping, roofing, handiwork. Dang. Culinary chef, fashion tailoring, alterations, and I'm a musician.
[00:09:52] What do you play? The drums. Drums? Yes. Okay. Nice. Also a mentor teacher as well. Yeah. That's a new, that's new, right? Yeah. Definitely, definitely. So where... First of all, hold on. That's so much. Yeah, it is. It is. But it sound, but it seems like you love all of it. You don't care. Every single minute of it. Yeah.
[00:10:13] Yeah. That's awesome. I aspire to be like you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Because some people, like especially me, like I, sometimes if I'm doing different things, I'm like, "Okay, I'm all over the place." But that's kinda like society tells you- Mm-hmm ... you can't, you can't be all the things that you wanna be, right?
[00:10:33] Yeah. What kind of drums? Like percussion, like the f- f- the full set. The full kit? Yeah. Full kit? Yeah. That's crazy. What kind of music? All types. Well, I grew up in Jamaica, so like reggae is the main one. Yeah. But I play at a church, at Harbor Church in, um, Cape Cod. My sister plays keyboard, so we have that, um, combination there.
[00:10:55] That's- But yeah. What don't you do? Sing. I don't sing. Okay. I can't sing. Don't ask him to sing. That's funny. When did you start teaching, and what are you offering? So teaching school-wise, um, I started te- um, teaching last year, last sum- summer at a kids camp with, um, Corps July in Cape Cod.
[00:11:18] I taught fashion and arts. Mm-hmm. So e- from ages infant to two to even adults, yeah, I teach sewing, alterations, pattern making, and I have five interns from Barnstable High School, three from DY, and two from Artworks, so total of I think 11. So yeah, I think- Interns? Yeah. Dang, how do I get interns? I started, I started with one last year, and this year I have 11, so- Dang
[00:11:45] big jump. Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. I mean, you're a breakout hit. Thank you. Thank you. 2023 feels like just yesterday. Yeah. I mean, the very- I was saying the same thing. What is the, the show you're most proud of or, like, the piece you're most proud of, or do you have one? I'd say the piece I'm most proud of is the jacket I wore, the fir- first piece I made.
[00:12:08] Yeah. 'Cause when people see that, they're like, "Who, who made this? Where'd you get this from?" Like, I made it myself. Yeah. And this, this, like, the details in it, there's, like, strings hanging off 'cause it's my first piece, so it wasn't the best, but to be my first piece, that's, that says something in- Yeah ... so that's my favorite piece.
[00:12:25] . I love wearing, you know, local designer stuff because I get to tell people where I got it- Mm-hmm ... and, like, who I got it from, and then I pull up people's Instagram. Yeah. It's, like, really great to do, and yeah, I can't imagine making something and then having someone compliment it.
[00:12:44] I gotta get on that. I got all the equipment. I just need to do like Kennard and get it going. Start. Just start.
[00:12:52] In a lot of your videos, you talk about, um
[00:13:00] I'm trying to remember. I didn't write it down. But, um Having, like, hardship and, like, changing direction- Mm-hmm ... in your life. Do you wanna share about that? I don't really remember s- what you had said, but. I think it was, um, just being [00:13:20] consistent and, like, going for it if... Oh, one thing was I had a fear of public speaking.
[00:13:25] Mm-hmm. When I was younger, I stuttered. I was always quiet, so when I got into college and this industry, that's definitely a big thing. Yeah. Communication, speaking, being face to face, telling your brand, speaking for yourself. Mm-hmm. So I struggled with that a lot, and I did a challenge last year. I spoke for at least one minute for 90 days, just raw, unfiltered to the camera to improve my speaking, and definitely it helped.
[00:13:54] I went to college for culinary, had to do a communications class, and a part of the class was I had to speak in front of the class. When I say I was shaking- Yeah ... trembling, trying to, or sweating. It was a big, big struggle, but definitely, like I said, gotta just go in and- Mm-hmm ... trust the process, keep practicing, and it's helped.
[00:14:13] Yeah. Definitely was inspiring 'cause the way you show up for yourself, a lot of people don't do that. Yeah.
[00:14:23] I know it was inspiring for me because you have that drive- I'm glad to hear that ... and it's contagious. - I like seeing people that just love what they do- Mm-hmm ... but also, like, are real about, "Hey, I have struggles too." Yeah. "I'm not perfect." We're all human. "But, but I'm keep, I'm gonna keep going and showing up."
[00:14:43] And yeah, it, it just, I really enjoyed that series. Thank you.
[00:14:57] So you're gonna be in Mass Fashion Week in May. Yes, season six. Season six. Do you have a theme that you're kind of vibing with right now or- So the theme for the show is Bloom. Okay. So my idea is to play off of that a little bit. Yeah. Like flowers. I'm not gonna say too much, but- Yeah ... definitely just imagine bloom, flowers, the sun, nature.
[00:15:23] Oh, that's- Yeah ... gonna be great. So you're ready for summer. Oh, yeah. I'm already started. Got my models set, fabrics picked out. That's awesome. Now I gotta wait for the, um, measurements, make patterns, go from there. So for Mass Fashion Week, you get different models every time? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I know they also have, like, a model school.
[00:15:41] Mm-hmm. They do a, they do a casting, like- Okay ... they did, did it last month, and they got all the models. They had, I think, around 250 applicants. Mm-hmm. They broke it down to 60 models. So from those we choose our featured amount, and then we go from there. Anybody same from last year? Yeah, I think there is about five from last year- Okay
[00:16:00] that have, in my model list. Yeah. Nice. When is Cape Cod Fashion Week and are, are you gonna do that as well? It's normally in August, August 17th I think, around that time. But definitely- Mm-hmm ... I'll be doing that, yeah. That's really cool. That's, they also have model or signed management- Signed, yeah
[00:16:15] puts, puts that on. Mm-hmm. They also are a talent agency? Yeah. Yeah. With Erin Skrima. Yeah, she does amazing job with the models- Mm-hmm ... teaching them, branching them out because two of her models that were in my first show, my first show was with her, her models at, um, the, in Hyannis, Cape Cod, and two of her models are now Hannah Remy and- Mm-hmm
[00:16:40] I think it's Hank. Yeah, H- Henry. Henry Hank, yeah, his name. They're both going crazy right now, global models. Oh, really? Yeah. He modeled for Hermès, Gucci, so- Wow ... he, and Hannah's overseas doing a bunch of great things, so. That's exciting. She has a great knowledge and arsenal of the modeling industry, so she does put them, into them a lot and branched them out there to give them industry and- Yeah
[00:17:08] their thing. , When I went out there, one, I had never been to, it's in H- where is it? Was it New Orleans? I think, yeah, that one's New Orleans, yeah. Yeah. I had never been there 'cause I'm not from here. Mm-hmm. Um, and then I just had started doing the podcast and like, I'm like, "Oh, I don't wanna, I don't know who anybody is."
[00:17:28] Yeah. So I didn't like try to introduce myself or anything. I was just like awkward. I talked to like Joey Mars- Mm-hmm ... and, um, a couple other people, and then I was like, "Watch the show" and left. But I wanted to talk to her 'cause that was a really cool show. What do you do when you're not working? I'm a big fitness guy, so I'm always- Okay
[00:17:51] in the gym. I love outdoors, hiking, going to the beach, fishing. Mm-hmm. So if I'm not in studio or at church, I'm in nature. Yeah. Just living in the moment. You have that vibe. You're very like chill. Yeah. I'm not a party goer. I don't like clubs really. Yeah. I'm more like lounge, live music. Yeah. Relaxing.
[00:18:12] That's my vibe. Yeah. I guess that makes sense being on the Cape and being from Jamaica. Yeah. There's not much that like party life on the Cape anyway, so. No. At all. Yeah. I don't, I've only been to a couple beaches and I was- Mm-hmm ... just kinda like the difference between a, a Massachusetts beach and like a Gulf Coast beach- Mm-hmm
[00:18:30] is so different because it's quiet. Yeah. Which is fine. I just never have been to a beach where like somebody's not playing music. Mm-hmm. And people are like re- like, "Don't turn your music up too loud," so they can't hear.
[00:18:47] Whenever you go fishing, are you like ocean fishing or- I do both deep sea- Yeah ... and my dad's a big fisherman. He, so he, he, my dad's a chef too, so that's where I get it from. Oh. So he loves like fishing, all that kind of stuff. Does, where does he work? He does caterings, so yeah. Oh. What's the name of the business?
[00:19:03] Ken's Restaurant or Ken's Kitchen. Are you a junior? I'm a junior, yes. Okay. What kind of food? All types. He does all types of food, but mainly Caribbean- Mm-hmm ... American style, so he grills, roasts, all that kind of stuff. Yum. I so the Four Seasons School, where d- where is that?
[00:19:23] So it's off e- off Exit Six in Cape Cod. Four C, so it's Cape Cod Community College. Oh, okay. So Four C's. Four C. Yeah, Four C's for short. I thought you said Four Seasons. So I know. Same thing. No, I'm kidding. Yeah. That's, that's, that's crazy because like- Your dad's a- also a chef And musician And a musician too?
[00:19:46] What are- Art- artist as well Yeah. And what about your mom? My mom's, um, s- teacher. Teacher? Yeah. So that, so you, that, you're like, "I got all of this." Yeah. That's really cool. What about your grandparents? Were they, like, in the arts at all? [00:20:00] Funny you asked. I learned last year, my, my dad's father, his nickname was Tailor in Jamaica because he did all the alterations for the women and the men in the community, so h- that was his job.
[00:20:12] He was Tailor in Jamaica. That's so crazy. And my dad's mom was a seamstress, so she did sewing, art, made dresses, made my dad's school clothes. My mom's mom was a seamstress as well, so I guess- Okay ... it run, ran in the family. Hon- I didn't realize that, so. And you just, you learned that before you named your brand?
[00:20:32] Yeah. That's so cool. That's destiny at work right there. Well, I'm, I'm carrying their legacy, so. Yeah. That's really cool. The next step, yes. That's awesome. . Did I already ask, like, if you specialized in a certain type of food, or it's everything? No. But my, my goal is to, like, specialize in everything.
[00:20:48] Yeah. Looking to maybe go to a culinary school next year, so hopefully I do that, get more knowledge and more experience, and- ... hopefully down the road start my own restaurant and do that. Are, now are you planning to always stay in that one-of-one style fashion moment where you're, like, making bespoke things?
[00:21:08] You're not, , because you're doing so much. Mm-hmm. So I'm just curious what your plans, or if you have any. My goal with the fashion is to build something that's legacy-wise- Mm-hmm ... long-term, reputable, really focusing on details. 'Cause I wouldn't call myself a brand right now. I would call it, say, I operate a small independent fashion label.
[00:21:30] Mm-hmm. So building that trustworthy brand, one of one now, but down the road I do see myself doing, like, more number drops or collections where- Mm-hmm ... more than one person could buy the same thing, so definitely. But for right now I wanna focus on building that detail-oriented looks, garments, pieces.
[00:21:49] Mm-hmm. So one of one is what I'll focus on right now. I think it's, um, really awesome too because people are so, um, caught up in trend cycles- Mm-hmm ... and looking exactly the same. Yeah. And so, like, that one-of-one style I feel like is very, like It's lucrative, but it's also just so much better to adapt a really unique style.
[00:22:20] Yeah. And I just love that. And, and that you're selling it right at- after it's done- Mm-hmm ... at the runway. You're like, "See ya." Well, once it goes, there's not, not another one coming after that, so. Yeah. It's like a piece that's sentimental. Yeah. Was there a piece that you have done in the past that you considered, a turning point that, you saw your, your expertise getting better? Yes, there was. Yeah. So I partnered with one of the schools in 2025 to help their student organization put on a fashion show/Black History Month program, and in that I got my sister to be one of the models, like, showcase my brand in the, um, fashion show.
[00:23:07] And I made her a black dress with tiered bottom layer, a black corset, like a bodysuit top. Mm-hmm. So it was three pieces, and I had two weeks to make it from measurements. I had to buy the fabric, make the pattern, cut it out, fit it, go back to the drawing board, adjust it, and show day. So doing that, doing that whole process, just seeing my ability come to light, being able to make the patterns, get the measurements, get everything done in time, make a corset.
[00:23:41] . The first time doing a corset came out flawlessly. Yeah. And on show day, I got so many compliments from the students, families, parents, teachers, the principal, like, "So who made this dress?" And like, "I did." And just seeing that and, like, seeing their reaction to that really said, like, "Okay, I'm, I'm doing something here, so keep going."
[00:24:00] Yeah. It's so exciting. Like, I love that you just pick shit up, pick shit up. Yeah. Sorry, I- No, I, I- But, like, you do ... yeah ... you just, you're like, "Let me, let me just learn this." Mm-hmm. You don't let anything get in the way. What are you really inspired by when you start thinking about designing stuff? How it makes me feel. Like if I look at something and I get a certain type of emotions from it, but also music. Mm-hmm. When I'm sewing in my studio, I'm playing jazz or like loud music- Mm-hmm ... blues. Just being in the moment and being in tune with my creative side.
[00:24:38] Yeah. Just see what flows. 'Cause my process is very unorthodox. I didn't get taught in school, so everything is trial and error. Mm-hmm. I don't- when I see a fabric, I don't draw or sketch the look. I just see my mind, then make the pattern, then make the outfit. That's cool. Yeah.
[00:24:55] Whatever works for you, you know? Like, I am very backwards in what I do too. Like, not that your stuff is backwards- Mm-hmm ... but like I do a lot of upcycling and I just, I won't do, I don't measure, I don't do- Yeah ... just cut things up and sew them. It's very Frankenstein, but it's, I'm trying to let myself have fun- Mm-hmm
[00:25:17] instead of being so rigid- Yeah ... which is hard for me. Being able to not be so tied up, for me, in, in like the nuance of being perfect, 'cause that's not real. Mm-hmm. Especially for me, 'cause I'm not, I'm not opening a book for that.
[00:25:36] What's the fashion scene like on the Cape? Are you the fashion scene? It's growing slowly. I, I would say so, yeah. But it, but it's growing slowly and but surely. Last, I think we've done, I've done f- five, um, Fashion Weeks with Aaron, and each one is always a growing, growing. Mm-hmm. Last year was a huge show.
[00:25:57] Yeah. Big turnout. As you saw, a lot of people came out, a lot of new designers, and I didn't know that many designers were on Cape Cod. So each year there's somebody else coming out of the woodworks. Yeah. So- I look forward to going this year and also, like, getting there early so- Mm-hmm ... I can get a good parking spot.
[00:26:12] Definitely. 'Cause I parked illegally for sure. I think a lot of people did. A lot of people did. But I , I just like seeing small businesses being, um, appreciated, and they- Mm ... did a really good job with that, plus summertime. On Cape. What's your season? Is it summer? Summer. I love summer.
[00:26:28] Yeah, same. I can't handle it. And when's it gonna stop snowing? Today it's sunny. Hopefully, yeah. But locally. Hopefully soon. But tomorrow, maybe no. So. You never know Cape Cod or Massachusetts. Yeah. You never [00:26:40] know. Um, gosh, is there even... I, I think the only time I've been out, well, was for Cape Cod Fashion Week, but, like, I didn't even see, like, a grocery store.
[00:26:51] They're, they're tucked away in there. Are they really small? Yeah. It's expensive, I would assume? Not really. Some are, but, like, local ones, like Shaw's, Stop & Shop. Oh, okay. Yeah. They have that then. Mm-hmm. All right. I'm acting like it's like a tiny little island. I don't know. Um- That's, that's more like Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard.
[00:27:10] Like when you go over there- Yeah ... that's expensive. Have you been to the, I think there's like a Black Fashion Week? I've done that last year, two years. Yeah. You did? How was it? It was amazing. I wanna go. Loved it. I wanna go. You should. They're having a- When, when is it? It's soon, right? It's, um, I think it's around the same time, August 15th to 17th.
[00:27:29] Yeah. Okay. Are you doing it this year? I am planning on doing it, yes. Okay. Okay. I'm excited ' are they particular about them being local designers, or how is it? I think they, um, they bring from the- all different areas. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, I wasn't sure. I don't, I've never been to Martha's Vineyard.
[00:27:49] Really? But I've only lived here since 2022, to be fair, but that's still a long time- Mm-hmm ... to not have been there. But- You should, you should go and explore. Yeah. It's, it's a fun place. I think I've been there twice now, and both times are for the fashion show.
[00:28:04] Mm-hmm. But I always, like, go. So the show is probably in the noontime. I always go in the morning to, like, go around Rome- Mm-hmm ... and see different things 'cause I learned that Obama's house is on Martha's Vineyard. He lives out there? He has a house over there, yeah, so I drove by it. Oh, man. I would love to see him or Michelle.
[00:28:21] Is there anything specific that you wanna, like, talk about? I would say just my goals or plans to, like, make my growth- Mm-hmm ... be inspiration to anybody else out there. Yeah. To truly follow your dreams, goals, ambitions, because you never know what can come from it. Yeah, you really never know who's watching.
[00:28:42] Exactly. Um, but also, I think it's fair to, like, say if you have questions or wanna learn from someone, just ask. Yep. 'Cause you never know, they may help you, and I think a lot of people are more open to collaborations and just, like, taking people under their wing. Mm-hmm. And you're obviously teaching. Where can people sign up for classes?
[00:29:12] So right now I have no website, but everything on social media. So DM. Yeah, kmjsmith and K- kentaylor, so K-E-N dot T-L-R- Mm-hmm ... on Instagram. Those are my two accounts, personal and fashion. Mm-hmm. So DM me there. We can schedule something, plan something out, and go from there. And they come to your studio? I do travel also, but- Oh, nice
[00:29:34] they come to my studio. It's on Main Street in Hyannis, Cape Cod. Now, are you gonna teach pattern making? I teach all, all areas- Oh ... of fashion, sewing, fashion. That's cool. And I like that , you taught yourself, so you're more closer to someone who's never started. Mm-hmm. You have more of that brain of, like- So I know, know what they're thinking or what they're going through.
[00:29:54] Yeah, because when I went to fashion school, 2000- Five, six, seven, I don't know. For like a year. Mm-hmm. I was just like, "What are they talking about?" Right. And even still now, I don't know nothing. I just make stuff up. People like to learn from people that have learned in an unconventional way.
[00:30:15] It's just, like, a lot easier to grasp, I think. Yeah.
[00:30:20] Do you think that building your brand or fashion label on the Cape versus Boston has been harder or easier? I would say in the middle, in between. Yeah. 'Cause like my style is not very Cape Cod-ish, so- Yeah ... not many people on the Cape Cod can wear what I, what I make. But it's helped me to grow in that way of like trying different things, different styles, and getting feedback, but still staying, staying true to myself.
[00:30:49] Mm-hmm. But a lot of my clientele comes from off Cape, so when I- not so on Cape people say, "Why don't you go to New York or somewhere bigger?" But then I have to compete, not compete, but go alongside with those other people that's big name, big- Mm-hmm ... big following. So I think it was easier for me to start on Cape Cod, start smaller locally, build my clientele base- Mm-hmm
[00:31:10] on the Cape, and then eventually when I get, when the time comes, I'll go off Cape and keep doing my thing. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah, I think it's, it's better too, like it seems like you have like a good support network there too. Mm-hmm. Or at least ha- there's a community there that supports you. Yeah. Um, which is kinda low-key tough
[00:31:34] well, I've, since I've, last two years, there's been a lot of support. I've joined a couple groups, fashion groups, a lot of different people, different brands trying to support others. Mm-hmm. So it's, I think it, it's growing, growing in the Mass area. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Especially, yeah, the creative scene, but as far as just like-
[00:31:56] When you're new to a area- Mm-hmm ... you really have to put in a lot of effort. Exactly. Gotta go out. All the time. Go to events, yeah. And that's fine, but like it's a, it's... I'm just, I'm old. I can't say nothing.
[00:32:14] .. Oh, can people donate to you, like fabric to you?
[00:32:18] I would love that, yeah. 'Cause every- I have so much. I have, I don't, I, not only do I have fabric, I have extra everything I used have a vintage shop, so. Really? Nice. Yeah. In Mass or- Mm-hmm. So where are you from originally? Louisiana. Nice. Yeah. I miss the food. That's it. Same here. That's it. I love- I grew up in the South, so a lot of Southern foods, soul food.
[00:32:44] I would die for a piece of chi- fried chicken, like good fried chicken. Yeah. Or some actually sweet, sweet tea. Yeah. When I first came here, sweet tea was, like, watered down- Yeah ... not sweet at all, so. Yeah. Big, big hit there. Yeah. It's not, it's not it. You were from Georgia? Or- Yeah ... grew up in Georgia? Grew up in Georgia, yeah.
[00:33:03] What part? Macon, Georgia. Like, an hour- Oh, really? Yeah. Hour south of Atlanta. S- call it middle, middle Georgia because it's right in the middle.
[00:33:12] Oh yeah, Savannah is good. Mm-hmm. Savannah's fun How much, uh, influence do you think the [00:33:20] Southern, like growing up in the South, like had on your, had on your design process? I would say quite a bit because going to church, all the guys wore suits- Mm-hmm ... the women wore dresses, so seeing that, like, style really fits into my aesthetic, I would say, 'cause I love wearing suits.
[00:33:38] I'm always dressed up. I could dress up any time, like go grocery shopping. Mm-hmm. I'm always dressed up for no reason, so. I love that. Yeah. I also can see that now too, like knowing that you're, you're f- you're from Jamaica, you grew up in Georgia, and now you live here, I can understand your designs to m- like I can see it translate within your, uh, collections- Mm
[00:33:58] because I can see the Southern influence. I can see the colorfulness of it, like- Yeah ... that you would think of like Jamaican or whatever. . That's why I love these conversations. Yeah. Learn, learn a lot. Yeah. That's really awesome. Um, and I, I love that your grandpa was a tailor.
[00:34:16] Mm-hmm. And your grandma was a seamstress, and you're doing both menswear and womenswear. Yeah. Like it's full circle. Carrying the legacy. Yeah. Keep going. That's really nice. Does your sister sew at all? She doesn't. She hates it? Well, she, um, she never like stuck with it, so she had like- Yeah ... two lessons when she was younger, and then that was it.
[00:34:34] Yeah. But I'm teaching her slowly and surely now. She's, uh, so she's interested now? Yeah. That's cool. Is she older or younger? Older. Older? Yeah.
[00:34:45] So you like to fish, you like to hike, be outside. Mm-hmm. So that tells me you probably don't watch a lot of TV. Not really. Not at all. Not a TV, not a TV guy. Mm-hmm. Maybe a movie here and there, but that's it. Yeah. What about music? What, what kind of music are you loving right now? I listen to all types. You said jazz and blues.
[00:35:06] Jazz and blues. Right now it's live music. Live music? Like quartets, saxophone quartets. I love to hear the saxophone. Okay. Actually planning on learning that soon, so. Yeah, that's another thing. So you, your hobby is learning things. . I'm so, like inspired by people that can do so many different things.
[00:35:22] Mm-hmm. And love learning. Exactly. I'm a, I'm a big sponge. I always say, like- Yeah ... you can never learn too much. That's true. That's true. I, I enjoy it. I, but I also need to start enacting and, like what I'm consuming to learn- Mm-hmm ... because I love a deep dive on YouTube, but then I don't go and do it. Mm-hmm.
[00:35:45] I gotta break that habit this year. I think that's the one thing that a lot of people ... We're in a society where we say but don't act. Like- Yes ... there's a bookmark on Fa- on Instagram. Yes. So many like recipes saved, trial and error, like workouts saved, but we never do them. So just- Yeah ... keep saving, saving, saving, but not acting.
[00:36:02] Have you always been like this? Yeah. You have? Yeah. Even as a little kid? Always. I love learning. Yeah. Love trying different things. They might not- Not a procrastinator ... no fear. None at all. Just if I say it, I'm gonna do it. Yeah. Yeah. I, yeah, I'm a big proponent. But it's funny, I was just talking about this the other day, about how the pr- like my, I really, um-
[00:36:28] think, you know, my word is important. Mm-hmm. So if I say I'm gonna be somewhere, I do my best- Exactly ... to do it. But why is it that whenever I commit something to myself, I'm, I'm so- Mm-hmm ... it's so easy for me to drop that ball, and I don't understand why. Yeah, you gotta hold yourself to the same standard- Yeah
[00:36:44] like somebody else, so definitely. And it's like I, I don't wanna ever let anybody else down. Mm-hmm. But I'll let myself down all the time. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Hmm. I gotta figure out what that is. What's the drawing board? Mm-hmm. No, I love that. That says a lot about your parents too, though, because, like, to have that Follow through, you must have learned it- Mm
[00:37:09] from someone around you. Yeah. I get it from my, so a mix of both my mom and dad. My dad is hardest worker I know. Mm-hmm. Yesterday celebrated 60 years, birthday yesterday. Oh, happy birthday. Yeah. Shout out, Pops. So yeah. He's a very quiet person, but his work ethic, his drive is so- Mm-hmm ... unlike anybody's that I've seen.
[00:37:29] So I get that from him, and my drive, tenacity. Mom is big school teacher, always trying to motivate somebody, speaking there for somebody. Mm. So that side of me, teaching, motivating, comes from her. Yeah. So mix those together and it's a match made in heaven, so. Yeah. I can tell that that combination really helped shape you.
[00:37:55] Mm-hmm. 'Cause if you've been always like this, you didn't even have a rowdy phase? No. Sh- I was a, I, I heard I was a rough kid at, when I was younger, but- ... after that, no. Well, that's great. That's good. You just said, "I'm gonna keep on doing me and learning and do-" Exactly. I, I love that you're just always trying to be better than you were yesterday.
[00:38:22] Mm-hmm. And that's, that's so, um, admirable. My, my saying is 1% daily. Yeah. Just trying to be 1, 1% better than you were yesterday. Do you have bad days? I do, but I don't... If I do, I take time, reflect, and move on. Yeah. I don't like to dwell or sit in it- Yeah ... or mope, try to be depressed. How do you, Get past those hard days For me, faith is a big thing.
[00:38:48] Mm-hmm. So praying to God, asking for direction and clarity or my, uh, for a next step. Mm-hmm. Just journaling. I journal, journal a lot every morning, every night. Oh, really? Yeah. Do you feel like that gives you a lot of creative inspiration? Mm-hmm. That's cool. Like, just clear my head, put it all on paper, and see what it is, and just reflect on it.
[00:39:06] Mm-hmm. Pray, move on. Do you go back and read it? Yes. I have, like, four journals fr- beginning from, like, end of high school to now. Yeah, and I go back and see my growth- Yeah ... my past, my decisions, my thought process, see how I grew from then to now. That's- Mind-blowing. Yeah, that's really g- cool.
[00:39:28] Um, I have a journal. I made one. I upcycled it. It's really cool. I haven't written in it yet. Mm-hmm. It's a process. It is. You gotta say it. It's discipline.
[00:39:39] Yeah, let's, take me through your typical day. So 5:00 AM, you, you get up, you go to the gym. Get up, go to the gym about 5:00 to 6:30 or 7:00 depending on the workout. Get home, shower, eat, get ready for the day. Now, normally have interns, depending on the day, on their schedule from 9:00 to [00:40:00] 1:00. That's the school interns and the work interns is from 2:00 to 4:00.
[00:40:06] So each day they're different because- Mm-hmm ... they have different clients or different, um, but I'm always working on different clients or my own stuff for the shows. And then after that, I have church practice sometimes or family time. Mm-hmm. And then wind down time. So between 5:00 to 7:00 is workout.
[00:40:25] From there to about 4:00 or 5:00 is interns, schoolwork, um, outfits, making. Then from about 8:00 to 9:00 is family time. Wind down by 10:00. Are your days pretty much scheduled, like- Yeah ... you're very s- big on a schedule. Yes. Blocking times out. Yeah. 'Cause I'm actually, funny you ask that, I'm speaking on a panel about this same process for CCYP Cape Cod Young Professionals- Mm-hmm
[00:40:53] in May on this same topic. Like, how do I... Doing, doing so many things, how do I make time for, like, friends, family, outside life? Yeah. It's all about scheduling, blocking time. Make time for yourself first, and for your hobbies, and for everything else. Just make time, block it off. That's smart. And be stu- stuck to those things.
[00:41:13] Like, if somebody, if I got a call from a client saying, "Can I have an alteration?" And it's 6:30, I'm like, "Sorry, that window has passed. I can't. Hit me up tomorrow or another day during that certain time." Mm. So really sticking to your goals, your times, and your blocks, and doing that. That's really smart to do because I don't block off time, and so I have, there's times that I have, I have all these things- Mm-hmm
[00:41:39] I need to do, especially with podcasting, um, and just life in general. Yeah. But if you block off three hours to sew, then you have that time. You don't have to guess- Mm-hmm ... what am I gonna do? 'Cause you know what you're always gonna end up doing if you don't have it scheduled, is you're gonna scroll. Yeah.
[00:41:58] And that's the worst thing you can do. I was gonna say that, yeah. When you say you're gonna do it, actually put the phone down, lock it off- Yeah ... and actually do the work, and you will get a lot done. . Thank you so much for coming. Thank you for having me. And I look forward to catching your show at Mass Fashion Week, Cape Cod Fashion Week, and Black Fashion Week? Yes. Did I miss any? Maybe another Mass Fashion Week? Yeah, I think there's two, but I'm no- definitely doing the one in May.
[00:42:27] Yeah. I'm excited to see that 'cause I'm gonna try to snatch up something if I can. Yes, ma'am. All right. Thank you. Thank you.
[00:42:37] I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. Check the show notes on where to find everything that Kennard is up to and how to find him. Until next time, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and I'll see you later. Bye