Today we’d like to introduce you to Kalisa King.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up outside of Cleveland, Ohio with three siblings, all five years apart, I never had an appreciation for sports or being a fan. Once I met my husband, that changed. He had such passion and loyalty for his Ohio State Buckeyes and I began to understand; I fell in love with the tradition, joy and community that is built with a shared love of a team. In fact, when my husband proposed, he included the condition that I had to agree to sing the fight song every game day, along with instilling that tradition with our future children.
Fast forward to two young daughters and a move to Florida, where we proudly flew the Ohio State flag and sang the fight song every game day. During the season, our Saturdays centered around college football. We spent the days with other families, cheering on our team and supporting our friends’ teams, too. Those were some of our fondest family memories, and I fully expect my children will want their families to share in the same tradition.
Not long after we moved to Florida, we attended the Florida/Georgia game, affectionately referred to as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” The weather was beautiful and so many people, especially women, were dressed up. Heels and dresses; nothing I had ever seen at games in Ohio, where the weather was often cold and fans were bundled up. It was at that game that I realized my fondness for fashion could potentially work in the world of being a sports fan. i searched for fashionable women’s collegiate apparel and when I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I searched for the colors, so I could support my team wearing clothing I would wear any day of the week.
When our daughters went to SMU, I went into the bookstore during orientation, eager to buy some school merch to support their university, only to be a little disappointed in the options. I found t-shirts, hoodies, quarter zips, tank tops and sweatshirts, but I couldn’t find the pieces I was searching for. Like most women attending SMU games and events, I wore the school colors without the school name because I preferred the style and fit over the bookstore offerings.
My husband and I moved to Dallas when our girls were in school there and spent two years learning and loving the city. We relocated to Austin, specifically the beginning of Hill Country, almost three years ago. We love the Austin vibe and the wide variety of activities. We’ve really enjoyed the food, music and cultural offerings. In addition to working on King Collegiate, I’ve also become involved in the Women’s Symphony League. I love the mission of partnering with the Austin Symphony to offer educational opportunities for children and the community to develop an appreciation of music.
Eighteen months ago, one of my daughters suggested I create what I had been looking for in collegiate apparel. Recently retired from my 30-year corporate career and not ready to live the retired life, I decided to do just that, and I’ve spent the last eighteen months researching, learning, testing, building partnerships and creating an offering I’m proud of and hope resonates with parents, alumni, students and community supporters. My goal is to create a new standard in women’s collegiate apparel. For women who always want to dress well and present well, there’s a new option. King Collegiate is dedicated to producing the highest quality collegiate apparel, fashionable and quietly subtle. I want to help empower women to feel their best as they build their family traditions while celebrating the heritage of the teams they love and support.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It absolutely has not been a smooth road! Everything takes longer than I think it should. While I have a strong corporate background, it isn’t in women’s apparel, so there’s been a learning curve. Fabrics, fabric construction, learning about buttons, developing branding, a social media strategy, packaging, models, photographers and photo shoots, etc. Thankfully our oldest daughter is in the fashion industry, which as been very helpful for ideas and reality checks.
I’ve had to re-start a few times because I wasn’t happy with the quality of initial samples, so that extended the timeline. And the licensing was a big hurdle. The application process was detailed and time consuming, and every piece with a logo understandably requires approval from each university.
With all of the challenges comes great satisfaction in an offering I’m proud of; I hope it resonates with women!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m a woman-owned, self-funded start-up business specializing in women’s collegiate apparel. I’m bringing an elevated approach to women’s collegiate apparel, using high quality European cotton and linen, along with merino wool and cashmere. King Collegiate offers the quality and style many women already incorporate into their daily wardrobe; now they can extend that to their gameday and school-supported events.
I want the brand to celebrate family and tradition; be known for quality craftsmanship; empower women to feel and look their best as they support their favorite teams; and be part of a shared community where fans share in the joy of the traditions and heritage of the teams they love.
I’m beginning with Southern schools and am initially licensed to represent Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University and Tulane. My plan is to expand quickly after the initial launch.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories was our neighborhood’s annual block party. There was a bike parade; everyone would decorate their bikes and ride them through the neighborhood. There was a huge pile of sawdust with different valued coins throughout and children had a limited amount of time to try to collect as much as they could. There was a big barbecue and potluck with an insane number of options. And unlimited Cotton Club soda that parents weren’t monitoring. Lots of families were there and the children would play kickball, kick the can and other games. It started in the afternoon and wrapped up after dark, It was a great celebration of family, community and tradition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kingcollegiate.com
- Instagram: kingcollegiate
- Facebook: King Collegiate
