Designer Kelsey Randall on Crafting Looks for Stars and Navigating Industry Challenges

Brooklyn-based designer Kelsey Randall has found unexpected viral success with Hilary Duff's tour looks, a development that has "absolutely floored" her. The trend sees fans recreating Duff's unique, bedazzled stage costumes, with videos imitating the outfits garnering millions of views on social media.

Randall, whose portfolio includes collaborations with global stars like Taylor Swift, Lizzo, and Beyoncé, shared insights into the demanding nature of high-profile fashion design. She stressed the importance of flexibility and a willingness to adapt, noting that "things go wrong" in the fast-paced world of celebrity styling. Randall recounted a recent instance where a client's custom pieces became stuck in customs, preventing them from arriving in time for a fitting, a situation she described as "a bummer" but a common occurrence.

"You have to suspend your disbelief and just focus on the task at hand," Randall said of working with artists she admires. She explained that not every custom piece, even those urgently requested, ends up being worn by the celebrity. "So you just have to throw a bunch of stuff at the wall, and some of it will stick. You can't be too proud or too precious about any one thing," she advised, adding that designers must "roll with the punches."

One of Randall's designs, a star dress worn by Hilary Duff, achieved viral status despite being created seven years prior. Randall noted that embracing patience is key, as success doesn't always come instantly. "You have to believe things are going to happen the way they're supposed to and at the right moment," she said.

Randall described her collaboration with Hilary Duff for the current world tour as a "wonderful collaborative process." The partnership began when Duff's stylist discovered Randall's glow-in-the-dark star dress on Pinterest. "She said it was exactly what they were going for. It has that idea of nostalgia, but it's a glammed up, grown up version," Randall explained, noting Duff and her stylist's support for her "crazy ideas."

Beyond her work with musicians, Randall has launched a new creative partnership with Kurt Geiger, featuring a series of capsule collections. This collaboration aims to unite the distinct styles of London and New York.

"The first collection, we wanted to do something that was really my vibe and honoring my hometown, which I consider Brooklyn, so it's this idea of Brooklyn meets London," Randall stated. She expressed her long-standing admiration for the Kurt Geiger brand and her excitement about their shared values, including their Kindness Foundation's initiative to support young people entering the fashion industry and the brand's inclusive stance towards the queer community. "It's definitely a pinch me kind of moment, because there's actually not a lot of, you know, larger brands that have such a strong social impact," she commented.

The Kelsey Randall x Kurt Geiger collection is set to launch on September 16. Pricing for items in the collection starts at £29.