Kelly Nishimoto was born in the
back woods of Macon, Georgia to a Scottish Irish craftsman/chemist/musician
father and a Japanese American jewelry designer mother. She was exposed at a
very early age to design and construction using a variety of materials. Her
first wedding gown at age 13 was made of trash bags and a glue gun. At 19,
after trading in GA's laid back country living for the frenetic night life of
Miami's South Beach, Kelly created her first collection which included corsets,
ball-room gowns, double breasted jackets, and handbags, all made using colored
Reynolds Wrap. The line was a huge hit garnering her such accolades as
"Top Ten Designers to Watch" by the Miami Herald.
After 5 years in Miami's fashion
circuit, Kelly ventured west in search of new inspiration. She found it
immediately upon arriving in Los Angeles. Noticing everything she saw in the
clothing market was shabby-chic and grunge, Kelly saw the perfect opportunity
to bring back elegance, sophistication, and femininity by revisiting one of her
favorite pieces...the corset! With lush fabrics and a more comfortable
structure, Kelly breathed fresh air into an age-old garment. They quickly made
a stir on red carpets across the country, Kelly Nishimoto corsets have already
graced the bodies of Marley Shelton, Rumor Moore, Gwen Stefani, Anastasia,
Natasha Hendstridge, Jenna Jameson, and yes...even Dave Navarro.
This self-taught designer didn't
stop there. Kelly Nishimoto debuted her Spring/Summer 2006 collection at
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in March 2006. Feeling that fashion had no
soul...she set out to make a full collection of things that were missing from
her own closet. Simple elegance is how she described the flowing collection
that graced the runway. Her Fall/Winter/Holiday 2006 collection was a perfect
balance of her heritage...Scottish plaids and Japanese printed silks. Fresh off
the runway is her Spring/Summer 2007 collection she describes as women in the
bedroom.
Nishimoto's career recently took
an exciting turn when The Style Network hired her to co-host the hit show,
"My Celebrity Home".