A Rare Sickness Inspired This Illustrator & Designer Making Fashion Her Canvas
Quotes like "Art imitates life" and "Creativity takes courage" don't ring as true until you meet artistic creatives like Kris Keys. I met her in my hometown of Memphis almost two decades ago. Over the years, I have watched the young, modern storyteller use watercolor art to varnish vibrant paintings. As a budding journalist, I was amazed by Kris' stoic yet calming spirit. For me, she was everything I aspired to be because she found an innovative way to share her heart and art with the world.
As a child, her parents allowed her to express her creativity through dance and art. Whether it be in the church choir or entering into art contests or dance, she knew she was born to create. More than anything, Kris knew she wanted to be a designer for as long as she can remember. She had no choice but to make fashion her canvas.
Rendering style and energy through art became her way of life and even a childhood sickness helped shape her future.
Her journey took her from Memphis to New York where she worked in the merchandising field of fashion. Kris took a few classes in fashion illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology before deciding to move to London. There, she pursued fashion illustration as her full-time career. "Being in a new country inspired me to document my experiences through drawing. I started to sketch along the catwalks of London Fashion Week and fashion related events around London, and I got my first commission after doing that for several months," she told us.
In a candid conversation with xoNecole, Kris talks her inspiration, battling a rare disease and why it's important to make your dreams a priority.
You have lived in some of the fashion capitals of the world. What did each city teach you about yourself and your journey?
Kris Keys: New York definitely strengthened my character. I learned how to work hard and overall [I] developed a level of resiliency that has helped me persevere through pretty much anything. London is really where I honed my skills in drawing and design. It allowed me to start my design career with a fresh perspective and being surrounded by so many cultures helped me to design from a global perspective. Also, there are so many fashion illustrators and designers in London, so it kept me on my toes.
Fashion has always been your source of inspiration. When and why did you decide to transform your illustrations into wearable art?
Illustration by Kris Keys
KK: I did a project with Liberty's Department store during my time at London College of Fashion and printed my illustrations on silk scarves. I then started to experiment with creating textiles for garments and scarves, which led to the creation of my first womenswear collection. I've always wanted to fuse the two and creating textiles was the perfect mix.
You have shared your experience as a young girl battling a rare, benign blood disorder. How did your diagnosis and time at St. Jude impact your decision to pursue art and fashion?
KK: I have a benign genetic blood disorder called Hereditary Elliptocytosis, and I was treated during my childhood at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. I sort of used art as my "getaway" throughout my life. Being ill off and on as a child wasn't always easy, but painting and drawing has always kept me calm.
Why did you decide to name your fashion collection "Hematology"?
Photography by by Howard Nkosi
KK: I decided to make my first collection autobiographical and really take something so unappealing as an illness and show people that beauty can come from anything. Hematology is the study of the physiology of the blood. That's a word that's been a constant theme in my life, so I created the collection with silhouettes shaped like irregular blood cells and the colors are all the hues and tones of blood.
What does it mean to be a black creative in today's world?
Photography by Kris Keys/Instagram
KK: I can't think of a better time to be a creative black person. I love that we're using our creativity and resources to tell our own stories through a plethora of mediums. I'm inspired by so many black musicians, artists, designers, architects and to see them thriving inspires me and keeps me going.
"I can't think of a better time to be a creative black person."
What do you want people to feel or receive when looking at your illustrations?
KK: I often hear people say that watching me paint is therapeutic and meditative because of its light and airiness. I want people who wear my garments to feel the same way. Like you're a comfortable and confident walking piece of art.
You said that many things you wanted to happen last year came to fruition in one day. You believe the moral of the story is #keepgoing. Why do you think it's so important to push yourself to achieve your dreams?
KK: It takes a lot of work to stay on the path of pursuing your dreams. Adversity and hiccups along the way are inevitable. However, I think it's a shame to go through life with a regret that the one thing you wanted to do didn't happen because you gave up too soon. So my motto is to keep going.
For more of Kris' work and how to shop her collection, check out her website and follow her on Instagram.
Featured image courtesy of Kris Keys
Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Crystal Renay Is Prioritizing Healing, Her Kids, And Her Coins Amid Divorce
Crystal Renay is reclaiming her time and her identity after dealing with heartbreak. The model was married to Ne-Yo for seven years and they share three young children together. However, after a cheating scandal that resulted in a baby outside of their relationship, Crystal decided to end her marriage to the “So Sick” singer. Now, she is focusing on her bag and her kids. She is co-owner of Johnny’s Chicken and Waffles, launching a lip kit line, and is back on TV starring in the new WE TV reality series Bold & Bougie.
But it wasn’t an easy road, especially with reality TV. From the beginning, Crystal and her castmates bumped heads due to misconceptions and alliances with her ex-husband’s former partner, Monyetta Shaw. However, the mother of three exclusively tells xoNecole that she doesn’t regret her decision to join the show.
Crystal Renay
Photo courtesy
“Honestly, being in that space, we had a– you know, when you're first getting to know people, sometimes it can be smooth, and sometimes it can be rocky,” she says. “In our case, it was a little bit rocky and just getting to know each other, and I like to call it growing pains. And I felt like we had a couple of moments, but all in all, like the experience was really good for me, and I would do it over again.”
Crystal describes herself as “career-oriented” and says she is in her selfish season because she is now prioritizing herself first. But she admits that she is still healing from her divorce. The reality TV star shares some tips for others who may be going through the same thing.
“I would definitely say pray, pray as much as you can. Try to take your emotions out of your reactions to things because it’s always going to be something that you don't like in the situation,” she says. “But we can't move off of emotion because 10 times out of 10, a few months later, you're not going to feel like that. So, I'm a firm believer in not doing things that I will regret later. So I would just say be patient with yourself and stay positive.”
While there may be an opportunity to find love again, that’s not Crystal’s focus at the moment. She is in the rebuilding phase of her life, emphasizing the importance of self-care, personal growth, and finding her own happiness. She has had her share of challenges, including dealing with negative emotions and the public's perception of her, but her priorities involve spending quality time with her children and running lucrative businesses.
“I would definitely say pray, pray as much as you can. Try to take your emotions out of your reactions to things because it’s always going to be something that you don't like in the situation.”
“With my kids, I'm very hands-on. I’m team mother with soccer kids, and they don't really make no goals because they like five years old, but I'm there cheering them on every week,” she jokes. “I want to travel, especially this summer, with my kids and take them somewhere internationally because they're at the age where they can handle a long flight. So, me just spending more time and more new experiences with my kids is my main focus with them and showing them all the love that I could possibly give them.”
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Photo courtesy of Crystal Renay