California Apparel News

When Dechel McKillian graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a degree in psychobiology, she assumed she would pursue a career in her academic field, but after time apart from her studies she considered fashion as a possibility.

McKillian worked her way from a sales associate to a buyer and eventually to a merchandiser, stylist and now designer. Currently, McKillian is showcasing her latest body of work, the wrap dress, in the debut of her clothing brand.

Dechel McKillian ready-to-wear is designed from a stylist’s point of view and appeals to a wide demographic of women, she said. Her creative drive is to make clothing and jewelry that are versatile and can be worn in different ways.

McKillian approached the apparel business organically, tapping into the industry from all angles. Wardrobe styling came into play in 2008 when she decided to quit her job as a women’s buyer for a corporate e-commerce store. She was given the opportunity to travel abroad for the first time with California State University Northridge’s Fashion Design Program. The monthlong fashion tour in Europe allowed her to visit fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo and Valentino and to speak with prominent designers in major fashion capitals such as Florence, Milan, Paris and London.

She returned from Europe to find a tight job market, so she started an online vintage store called Spacelite Vintage. “This is where I discovered my passion for buying and styling,” she said. “Being able to set trends and create new ways to wear old clothes was so much fun.”

At the same time, McKillian began assisting stylists in music videos. “The more I was on set styling, the more I craved it,” she said. McKillian met Marco Morante, celebrity costume designer, on a photo shoot. After working with Morante, she landed a job as a wardrobe stylist on tour with Lil Wayne.

“I eagerly agreed without even knowing what it entailed,” McKillian said.

While McKillian was touring with the rock band Wallpaper, she worked on a collaboration known as the Wallpaper x Dechel McKillian project.

“When I found out that the band was doing the Vans Warped Tour, I knew we had to step up the band’s brand identity,” she said. “I wanted them to go on tour and not only be the best band rocking the festival but also have the best merchandise. I knew that we needed to approach merchandise in a nontraditional way.”

The collaboration collection featured punk-inspired limited-edition pieces such as denim vests, graphic T-shirts, snapbacks and sunglasses, as well as iPhone cases, pins and patches.

“My background in wardrobe styling has given me the ability to work with a wide range of people with all sorts of body types and shapes,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to create a line that is fashion forward and comfortable. The wrap dress is a primary example. It’s designed to be flattering for any body type, fun to wear, and provide instant style to any woman that puts it on.”

The wrap dress was inspired by a trip McKillian took to Costa Rica. She brought with her a 1970s vintage wrap nightgown that she wore everyday. “I packed so many different clothing options, yet I seemed to put the nightgown on everyday whether at the beach or dinner,” she said.

When she returned to the states, she decided to design a piece with the same feel. She said the “tangerine color is reminiscent of the radiant shadings from beautiful ocean sunsets in Costa Rica.”

The wrap dress, which is manufactured in Los Angeles, is made with a nylon/Lycra blend that is comfortable, lightweight, and stretchy. It is currently available in the orange hue but will soon be featured in several different colors. The wrap dress will be sold online at www.dechelmckillian.com. It is retail priced at $105. For more information, contact sales@dechelmckillian.com.