SANFRANSISCO – Today in San Francisco: Kia Xiong
Kia Xiong is a college student majoring in Fashion, and working full time on Nostalgia, her etsy shop. Kia started off by creating handbags and altering clothes, but along the way, she transitioned to wedding designs because it was something she was more passionate about and enjoyed more.
Truth to be told, Kia was a wedding lover ever since childhood, when she would cut out wedding pictures from magazines and news ads and created a mini wedding portfolios, dreaming that one day she’ll be a wedding designer. Now, her dream has become true, and through Nostalgia, Kia is making bridesmaid dresses and wedding dresses for people all over.
:: Why and when did you started Nostalgia? It all started through an advertisement online whom my long time friend Tammy was showcasing her handmade clothing and handbags. I was intrigued and asked her what Etsy was all about.I thought I’d give it too since I was a fashion major and love to sew. So I did, and Nostalgia started in 2007.
:: Where do you get your inspiration from? I have a neighbor who has a beautiful garden filled with all sorts of flowers and plants and became inspired by that. I also take my imagination into inspiration because if I can image a garment, I will either make it or incorporate some ideas into my sewing.
:: Who is your ideal buyer? My Ideal buyer is a young women who loves to have fun. Someone who it not afraid to try new things and mix with the old.
:: What is your favorite place in San Fran? I’ll go with Pier 39, with the sea lions, the boats and the smell of the sea.
:: Do you think San Francisco still is the place to be for the hippy-bohemian types? No, because I feel its more diverse and vary than just “hippy”. Plus I actually never faced hippie culture per se in San Fran, and the few times I did, it was mainly students who were portraying that.
:: Where do you shop in San Francisco? Pier 39, one of the many San Fran Malls (such as Macy’s in Union Square), Chinatown, Haight St, and Thrift Shops.
:: San Francisco not-to-be-missed food places are…? My personal fav is Gorilla Barbeque.
:: If I say Italy, you say…? Prada!
Francesca MasoeroFrancesca Masoero non è la campionessa di canottaggio che appare se digitate il suo nome su Google. È l’altra, la multitasker. Ha un (in)utile dottorato in cinema e marketing; racconta in modo non convenzionale e creativo New York, Torino e Bologna su NUOK e scrive di eventi, lifestyle e cultura per Lookout Magazine; si occupa di marketing, comunicazione, pr e web 2.0 tra Torino (la sua città natale) e New York (la sua città ideale). In più, a volte fa la stylist e a volte la cool hunter. È creativa, ma pignolissima. Sembra zen, ma è perennemente sull’orlo di una crisi di nervi. La salvano le piccole cose della (sua) vita: il rock’n’roll, la pasta al pesto, internet e il suo nuovo bellissimo frigorifero da 300 litri, pieno di quello che il suo fidanzato chiama “cibo da conigli”.
