Fashion People — Daniela Kallmeyer’s Lesbian Chic

Host: Lauren Sherman
Guest: Daniela Kallmeyer (founder & designer, Kallmeyer)
Date: March 6, 2026

Overview

This episode offers a deep dive into Daniela Kallmeyer’s journey as an independent New York-based designer, her South African roots, the philosophy behind her namesake brand, and the dynamic of "lesbian chic" in luxury fashion. Host Lauren Sherman explores how Kallmeyer's razor-sharp tailoring, distinct pricing, and queer perspective have carved out a new, inclusive space in the American fashion landscape. The conversation spans from her early immersion in arts and costume to strategic retail growth, creative philosophy, the realities of launching with minimal funding, and the impact of increased queer visibility in fashion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Roots, Family, and Early Influences

• South African background and upbringing in D.C.:
  • Kallmeyer’s family immigrated from South Africa; she grew up in the D.C. suburbs but spent summers in New York with her grandmother, who taught her to sew.
  • “My grandparents, when they immigrated to America, moved to Riverdale in the Bronx...my grandmother would teach me how to sew in the summers.” (06:10)
• Interest in fashion and costume:
  • Early blend of theater, figure skating, and costume design—her creative roots aren’t purely fashion.
  • “Probably until I graduated high school and had my first internship in the city and realized that fashion and costume are different. I sort of blended them together and learned to sew for all the same reasons.” (09:20)

2. The London Years: Education and Competitiveness

• Studying at London College of Fashion—versus Central Saint Martins:
  • Learned tailoring mastery, fabric, and draping.
  • Highly competitive environment; focus not just on shows but long-term career.
  • “There was, like, competition within competition within competition...but my sights were set beyond just the show being, like, the end goal.” (12:37)
• Internship at Alexander McQueen (McQ Launch):
  • Somber but formative atmosphere, instilled a respect for craft and precision.
  • “There was sort of like a silence that made space for [Alexander] to think about what you were presenting...very valuable for me as a young person.” (14:53)

3. Return to New York: Personal Motivations and the Business Reality

• Family ties and coming home after her grandmother’s passing.
• First jobs:
  • Worked wherever she could find work: Alice + Olivia, QVC/HSN, design for National Geographic, and more—gained an understanding of different consumer bodies and needs.
• Launching Kallmeyer in 2012:
  • Did it all on her own with $7,000 saved from waitressing.
  • “I made the patterns myself. In many cases, I sewed the samples myself. I was working in my Upper West Side apartment...I really put my ego behind the vision for the brand.” (24:02)
  • Leveraged personal relationships—her first boss at the Food Hall later found her retail space.

4. Bootstrapping, Trunk Shows & Brand Building

• Finding first customers:
  • Walked into boutiques and cold-called, started with one skirt, two dresses, then three suits—“it really was like that for many years.”
  • Trunk shows on the Upper East Side led to breakthrough sales—customers overlooked by traditional wholesale came directly.
  • “I sold more in like a four or five day trunk show than I did in like three seasons of...wholesaling.” (25:17)

5. Brand Vision, Pricing, and Philosophy

• "For All": An inclusive luxury brand:
  • Sought to create beautiful, lasting, designer-caliber clothes accessible in style and price—filling a gap between “contemporary,” mass market, and intimidating luxury.
  • “I have a tailoring background. I approach the brand as a designer with a luxury mindset. But...I’m able to make decisions about a target price point.” (27:07)
  • Clothes designed for elegance, quality, not trend or status—deep focus on fit, feel, and confidence.
  • “Just make a beautiful designer brand. That’s not about trend, it’s not about prints...I just wanted, like, a perfectly cut trouser and a beautiful shirt.” (28:07)

6. Retail Expansion and World-Building

• Opening her first store (Orchard St, NYC):
  • Poured all she had into it—built fixtures herself, created an immersive brand experience.
  • “World building allowed people to see what the clothes meant in situ and, like, how it felt like wardrobing.” (31:12)
• On the "feeling" of her clothes:
  • The design’s success lies not just in the look but in wearer experience—movement, gesture, subtle confidence.
  • “I really do put so much into how do these clothes feel? How do they fall off of a real body?...it’s about, like, how they live and, like, come to life on a person.” (32:40)

7. Wholesale, Sellouts, and Selectivity

• Strategic launches on Net-a-Porter, Goop, Moda Operandi, and select boutiques:
  • Small, curated buys led to frequent sell-outs, creating buzz and demand.
  • A self-funded, non-wasteful approach to sustainability—focus on longevity and avoiding surplus.
  • “We’re a self-funded brand so...we also approach sustainability differently. I think about sustainability as like non-wastefulness, clothes that can exist in every situation in your life...things sell out and it creates like a really good momentum.” (35:03)

8. Queer Visibility, “Lesbian Chic,” and Representation

• Navigating “lesbian chic” and queer media coverage:
  • Recently won the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award; reflected on the New York Times profile “Lesbian Chic for All”.
  • Emphasizes inclusivity: “I’m more honored that there is representation and unity that is implied in the words for all...it’s not just queer women...everybody wants to be seen.” (39:26)
  • Describes dressing a diverse clientele—queer couples, powerhouse moms, anyone seeking to feel seen and strong.
  • “I’m not a queer brand. I’m a queer designer.” (41:12)

9. On Showing at New York Fashion Week and Brand Partnerships

• Fashion Week presentations:
  • Initially took a break from Runway, then returned—now centers hospitality and brand experience.
  • Recent, organic partnership with Starbucks as part of supporting creative labor and community.
  • “My team is literally fueled by Starbucks right now on our third day of Style Out...it makes a lot of sense.” (43:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“I just, I wanted to work. So I got to New York. It was hard to find a job, so I would work anywhere...I just kept doing it. I didn’t let anybody tell me that it was not good enough...one person wanting one skirt was enough for me.”
—Daniela Kallmeyer, (19:34, 24:02)

“Everybody wants to be seen. And I do think that that ends up translating in our clothes...I’m not a queer brand. I’m a queer designer.”
—Daniela Kallmeyer, (39:26, 41:12)

“World building allowed people to see what the clothes meant in situ...when you put it in a wardrobe that really makes sense for women or for people who can identify with it, then you start putting the puzzle pieces together.”
—Daniela Kallmeyer, (31:12)

“It’s not about trend, it’s not about prints...I just wanted, like, a perfectly cut trouser and a beautiful shirt without feeling like you were going to work.”
—Daniela Kallmeyer, (28:07)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 06:10 — Learning to sew from her grandmother; NYC roots
• 09:20 — Blending costume and fashion; theater & skating background
• 12:37 — London College of Fashion: culture and competitiveness
• 14:53 — McQueen internship: lessons on creativity & tailoring
• 17:45 — Coming home to New York after her grandmother’s passing
• 19:34-24:02 — Founding Kallmeyer with $7,000; doing everything herself
• 25:17 — Trunk shows and direct customer feedback
• 27:07-28:07 — Defining the brand’s vision, mission, and price strategy
• 31:12, 32:40 — Opening her first store and the immersive approach
• 35:03 — Wholesale, sellouts & sustainability philosophy
• 39:26-41:12 — Queer visibility and "lesbian chic for all"
• 43:13 — Starbucks partnership and New York Fashion Week

Conclusion

This episode is an honest, detail-rich narrative of perseverance, precision, and perspective. Daniela Kallmeyer’s story is layered: one part technical mastery, one part fierce independence, all filtered through the lens of being a queer woman in luxury American fashion. The conversation, peppered with wit and candor, provides not only industry insight but a refreshing look at how queerness can be both a foundational influence and a universal invitation for all to feel seen.

For listeners seeking the behind-the-scenes reality of building a brand, inclusivity beyond buzzwords, and what “next-gen” American luxury sounds like, this is essential listening.